Richard and All,
A lyrebird song mapping project is already underway in the New
England region. Last year over 40 sites were sampled and this year
further extensive sampling will take place. This study is being
carried out by Vicki Powys, Hollis Taylor, Syd Curtis and Carol
Probets, and follows on from earlier research done by Ed Slater,
Norman Robinson and Neville Fenton.
So Richard, and any others out there who are interested, this is just
to let you know of the existing research situation.
Vicki Powys
Sound Editor
Australian Wildlife Sound Recording Group
(and Carol Probets)
At 10:12 AM +1100 11/2/10, Richard & Roz wrote:
The story of the 'flute-playing' lyrebird of Dorrigo is a different
kettle of bananas. I have heard all the relevant recordings, and the
bird in question is very convincing - especially when played
alongside the popular tune that it was supposedly mimicing. It is
possible that some of the lyrebirds in the immediate vicinity picked
up elements of this mimicry for a while. There is a flute-like call
in the birds' own repertoire which can be heard in wild birds from
Dorrigo to Werrikimbe, and it would not take much modification of
this to be quite close to the tune in question. However, my work on
the mimicry of Tasmanian lyrebirds, which were taken to the forests
of southern Tassie from Victoria a bit over 60 years ago, has shown
that mimiced calls fade quickly from the repertoire of lyrebirds in
the absence of reinforcement from the original model (although there
was evidence, however, of some residual 'whipbird' in the birds I
listened to recently in Tasmania).
The 'flute-like' call is, however, quite an extraordinary one, and I
have set aside all of June this year to follow it through it's
entire range - which is fortunately not far from where I live - and
to make a collection of sound recordings. Maybe I will be convinced
that the Superb Lyrebird so loves the sound of the flute that it has
incorporated it into its own 'permanent' repertoire. We shall see.
Richard (the skeptic)
Richard Jordan
PO Box 449
Bellingen
NSW 2454
tel (02) 6655 9456
mob 042 838 5677
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