Mimicking Bird Songs

Each bird species has its own unique sound and song, and for centuries human hunters have been devising whistles or perfecting their own whistling techniques to mimic the calls of birds. But until recently, this art was not fool proof. Now, using a rubber tube, physicists have been able to create device that imitates bird calls and, when played back, is almost the exact reproduction of the original bird call. Their simple device has proven to be a breakthrough in the mimicking of bird calls and songs, and is still being researched as they wish to improve on their device.

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

The Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is a songbird that measures nine inches in length, has a gray coloring to its head and upper body parts and a white belly. It has a long black tail that has white feathers to the outside, a white patch on its wings that is clearly seen during flight and [...]

The Bane of Brood Parasites

When we hear the word “parasites”, most of us would assume it is referring to an organism that feeds off another. In brood parasites, in the avian world, it works a little differently. To put in laymen’s terms, it is when one bird species lays their eggs in a different species’ nest, so that the parasite species do not have to take care of their young. Over the years, host bird species became wise to the brood parasites, but as a parasite does not give up that easily, the brood parasites have come up with various devious plans to fool the hosts.

The Marvelous Mimicry of the Lyrebird

There are two species of the ground-dwelling Australian Lyrebird: the Superb Lyrebird Menura Novaehollandiaeand the Albert’s Lyrebird Menura Alberti). The Superb Lyrebird is the larger of the two species and is found in the wet forest areas of New South Wales and Victoria, as well as in Tasmania where is was introduced by man in the 19th century. The Albert’s Lyrebird is found exclusively in a small area of rainforest in Southern Queensland. Albert’s Lyrebird was named in honor of Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert.

Teaching Pet Birds to Talk

If you have ever thought about owning a parrot, you most likely thought about what you would teach it to say. Birds which are capable of mimicking human speech not only provide hours of entertainment, but make for an interesting conversation piece and some hilarious moments with family and friends.

Birdwatching: You know how to Whistle…don’t you?

Does whistling like a bird really attract birds? Or does it just make you look foolish? Does the bird understand when a facsimile is taking place? Does it think to itself how silly you look standing behind a bush quaking like a duck?