David,
I posted on this subject several years ago. I used to have an office
overlooking bush and at about tree top level. I often heard Noisy Miner
alarm calls and can confirm that they do indeed have different alarm calls
for different situations. I initially thought that they had different calls
for different raptors but continued observation led me to believe that the
calls varied according to the proximity and degree of urgency of the
perceived threat.
Paul Osborn
-----Original Message-----
From: david robertson
Sent: Monday, December 16, 2013 9:38 AM
To:
Subject: Alarm calls
Whilst I was painting the house yesterday I heard the alarm call go up,
mostly from the Noisy Miners. I looked up just in time to see a small
raptor flying over (Hobby or male Sparrowhawk). I tried to remember what
the calls sounded like. Was there anything different because it made me
wonder whether alarm calls are all the same. We know that some animals have
different calls for whether the predator is on the ground, in a tree or in
the air but what about birds?
Some larger local predators, female Goshawk or Peregrine), would appear to
present much more of a threat that the smaller ones so does the call vary or
is it one call fits all?
David Robertson
Adelaide
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