Would any Naturerecordist care to comment on ventriloquism in birds?
I have encountered occasional references in the literature, but it seems to
me to be a physical impossibility. Am I right?
An accurately focused Telinga should be able to show whether it is happenin=
g
or not - given a suitable subject.
I quote below, one example from the literature.
Syd Curtis
(Brisbane, Australia)
--------------------------
My example is the entry for "Scrub-birds" in the Australian Encyclopaedia
(ten volumes, Angus & Robertson, Australia, 1958).
The entry was written by A.H. Chisholm who was also Editor-in-Chief for the
Encyclopaedia, and was a noted ornithologist of his time. There are two
species of Scrub-birds: the Noisy, Atrichornis clamosus, and the Rufous, A.
rufescens.
Of the Noisy, Chisholm has written "It was discovered by John Gilbert in
November 1842, near Drakesbrook in Western Australia. ... Its voice was
loud, melodious and strongly ventriloquial. No other report was made on th=
e
bird for many years."
And about the Rufous: "This species was named by E. P. Ramsay of Sydney who
in 1866 led an expedition to the Lismore district and obtained additional
specimens. The extraordinary vocal strength, ventriloquism, and mimetic
ability of the bird greatly impressed Ramsay, and so too, did its speedy
movements and its habit of wriggling in mouse-like fashion beneath bark and
other debris."
Chisholm had not encountered the Noisy Scrub-bird. In fact he says in that
article, "The western bird, unfortunately, has not been definitely recorded
since 1889 - this despite many searches - and it may now be extinct." (In
fact it was rediscovered in the 1960's). He certainly was familiar with th=
e
Rufous, but does not appear to be claiming ventriloquialism for it from his
own experience. On the other hand, he was prepared to accept the reports o=
f
others.
(I remain unconvinced.)
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