Thanks Rich and Jim, for your helpful comments.
I'll pass them on to Dr Milewski ... with a certain feeling of satisfaction
that it's his problem, not mine. He can define, for his purposes, what
does, or does not, comprise playing a musical instrument ... or not, as he
prefers.
The lyrebirds don't really mind whether they are unique in that respect.
And nor do I. 'Tis sufficient that they can play their 'rhythm sticks'.
I'm happy to claim (until someone discredits it) that male Albert's
Lyrebirds are the only wild birds to accompany their song with a musical
instrument. And for that, there must be a song, and an accompaniment that
in some way enhances the song, as distinct from merely occurring at the same
time.
This definition business reminds of the Australian twitchers on the mailing
list <birding-aus>. Delightful folk. But crazy. Arguing over whether or
not they can tick birds seen on Lord Howe Island on their Australian lists.
LHI being politically part of the Australian State of New South Wales, but
geographically some 500 km east of the continent.
All good fun. My salutations - and gratitude - to Mayor Von Gausig (keeping
busy, Doug?) for starting this mailing list.
I shall ask Dr Milewski to advise me in due course, should he publish
anything relating to this discussion, so that I may pass on the reference.
Cheers
Syd
"Before songbirds become musicians, they have to be music students."
- Ronald Orenstein, "Songbirds - Celebrating Nature's Voices"
> From: "Rich Peet" <>
> Reply-To:
> Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 15:50:44 -0000
> To:
> Subject: [Nature Recordists] Re: Lyrebird playing a musical instrument
>
> No matter how I try to limit the definition to solo out your bird Syd
> I still run into problems. I know of 4 of us from this group that
> watched and recorded a Red-Naped Sapsucker choose a small metal tag
> on a tree to drum upon because of the obsurdly loud sound it made.
> How do come up with a definition that excludes that bird?
>
> Rich Peet
>
> --- In "Rich Peet" <>
> wrote:
>> Those are examples of mechanical sound rather than vocal sound but
> do
>> not incorporate a choice of a foreign object to generate a sound.
>>
>> Greater Prairie chickens do use the ground to resonate sound while
>> thumping their feet and at the same time vocalize but that is just
> a
>> complex display and no choice of foreign object was made.
>>
>> Roughed Grouse have a very specific set of needs when choosing a
> dead
>> log to display on. They do use a specific diameter and degree of
> rot
>> within the log to generate a proper mechanical resonance within
> their
>> display. But that too would not be an example of choosing an
> object
>> as an instrument. It would be more similar to woodpeckers making
> the
>> best possible choice of an object to drum upon.
>>
>> If you define the use of an instrument to be "an optional choice of
> a
>> foreign object to generate music. I know of no examples right now.
>>
>> If you take the dictionary definition as a "device for producing
>> music", then any of the critters that make mechanical sound on
>> foreign objects qualify as using an instrument.
>>
>> Rich Peet
>>
>> --- In "Jim Morgan"
> <>
>> wrote:
>>> Syd - A few things come to mind such as the wing whistle noises
>> made by the
>>> Mourning Dove, the booming of Common Nighthawks, bill clicking
> by
>> Barn Owls
>>> and woodpecker drumming. I'm sure the group can point out many
>> others.
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>>> Jim Morgan
>>> Acting Moderator
>>> Nature Recordists e-mail group:
>>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/naturerecordists
>>> Personal Photography:
>>> http://wingsofnature.com/
>>>
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