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Gisela Kaplan on TV recently (and probably in her
book?) claims that Australian Magpies have exceptional mimicry (actually vocal
copying) abilities. Can't say I have noticed it much or thought it anything
terribly special, compared with other birds that do this. This week on
Boddington Circuit (corner of Crozier) in Kambah, I walked within about a metre
of a male Magpie sitting on the fence doing subsong imitation (interspersed with
normal song), of various bird calls. He was non concerned about me being so
close (as they usually are). Within about 5 minutes, those that I believe I
could recognise were Masked Lapwing, Laughing Kookaburra, Grey Butcherbird and
generalised rosella calls. Even from so close it wasn't easy to hear. Strangely
the bird called most as bunches of cars drove past, then tended to go quiet
during the gaps in the traffic. I can't assign any statistical significance (or
even behavioural significance) to that later aspect. He then flew down to the
nature strip and started foraging. As is usual for subsong mimicry for most
birds, the singing was not directed at any other birds, I doubt that any other
magpies or copied species were within earshot. Indeed of those it was copying,
only the rosellas are residents anywhere near the location.
Philip
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