birding-aus

Mimicry observations

To: "Phil & Sue Gregory" <>, "birding-aus" <>
Subject: Mimicry observations
From: "Alan Gillanders" <>
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 06:46:53 +1000
re Tooth-billed Bowerbird mimcry

The Tooth-bills mimic all kinds of environmental sounds and their song becomes more complex as the season continues. They can remember favouites sounds from one season to the next and use them before they have a chane to hear them. Cicadas are a case in point here. Tooth-bills often mimic Bower's Shrike-thrush but don't quite get it right.

Bower's Shrike Thrush on the other hand while not so much into mimicry can do a better job.

Once, at the same birds Phil was visiting, I was listening to a Tooth-bill doing a Shrike-thrush rendition when I heard a Tooth-bill behind me. As there had not been a court in that direction in the 25 years I had been visiting, my interest was aroused. Out popped a Bower's Shrike-thrush.

Graham Harrington has had a Bower's Shrike-thrush mimic the mimicry of its own call as done by a Tooth-bill.

Regards,
Alan Gillanders
===============================
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to: 
===============================

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU