Mimicry by lyrebird [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

["Whitworth, Benjamin - BRS" <>]

Maybe not common.

But a bird at Adelaide zoo did mimic both a chainsaw and my video camera in 1995.

Also during the Eden woodchipping demonstrations in the mid 90s it was widely stated by demonstrators that I knew that a lyrebird was mimicking a chainsaw, not that I heard or saw the bird.

Benj

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From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Monday, 9 April 2007 6:58 PM
To: ;
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Mimicry by Magpie

Hi Frank,

 

I do not have Gisela Kaplan's book on the magpie but I note that it has not been favourably reviewed in the journals. It is certainly correct that "Mimicry is extremely widespread amongst Australian birds" (actually it is vocal copying rather than true mimicry) although if the book says that "Unlike lyrebirds, magpies do not usually mimic inanimate objects, like mobile phones, etc." then she is certainly wrong, as lyrebirds do not usually mimic inanimate objects. This is a very rare occurrence if it occurs in nature at all. I only know of one documented case (the captive one in Healesville sanctuary featured on the Life of Birds documentary). Indeed lyrebirds mostly learn their mimicry from other lyrebirds.

 

Philip