Some 20 years ago I saw on TV, (from Max Plank Instutute??) how they tought
Pyrhulla pyrrhula to sing German folk songs.
As I remember it, the conclusion of this research was that some birds could
sing the song you tought them, (within limits, of course) - some others
could learn different songs as long as they all fitted into a special
pattern, while a third group only could sing the song which was typical for
the spec.
Klas.
At 17:33 2003-08-31 +1000, you wrote:
>
>A non-recordist friend recently asked me in a letter whether birds ever
>imitated human music and whether composers ever copied bird-song. The
>latter I can answer at length, (having corresponded with Olivier Messiaen
>when h ewas alive), but not the first.
>
>There is a story of a lyrebird chick raised in captivity and learning to
>sing by copying flute music. He was later released and his "flute" songs
>were taken up by that lyrebird population. That's the story. It's been
>disputed. I think it probably did happen.
>
>But somewhere in the distant past, I'm sure I read of something similar
>happening in Europe. A Blackbird, maybe. And I think it was documented in
>some scientific journal. Can anyone help me please, with a reference?
>
>TIA
>
>Syd Curtis in Australia
>
>
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