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Hello
Terry,
Generally field guides don't mention a lot of interesting stuff about
bird behaviour, because it is outside of the role of the book. I
am surprised to find, as you tell us, that Pizzey's book does not mention
vocal mimicry by bowerbirds. Maybe because the page is already full of text
without it. It would seem an obvious thing that should go in. I don't believe he
could not have known. I guess just an oversight. Pizzey's book does mention
vocal mimicry by the Olive-backed Oriole and both lyrebirds. I can say
that the mention in books of vocal mimicry by the Regent Honeyeater is
directly from my research and input (indeed I was sitting with Ken Simpson
researching this when he was typing text for his next update and asked me if I
had any ideas to add and that is how this got in his book). As for the non
mention of vocal mimicry by brown thornbills, that is hardly surprising, as that
is not at all conspicuous, well known or commonly used.
Philip
-----Original
Message-----
From: Terry Bell [
Sent: Wednesday, 25 July 2012 5:12 AM
To: chatline
canberrabirds
Cc:
Subject:
[canberrabirds] mimicry on my mind
whilst playing bowls at Canberra North BC with a
naturalist friend at Turner yesterday afternoon we clearly heard the loud calls
of about half of the normal routine of a kookaburra. My first impressions
were that as it was coming from a known habitat of bower birds could that
bird be responsible. Remembering our recent interesting COG talk
about the mimicry of brown thornbills I checked with my new Pizzey field guide
to discover that there is no mention of mimicry habits. Similarly there is no
reference to this habit by bower birds but somewhere in the back of my mind I
can recall of someone mentioning that this could be the case. Perhaps some
learned colleague could expand on this subject, on the chatline of course, for
general information. Good birding Terry B.
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