LYREBIRD...Australia's Great Imitating Bird!
- Thread starter SeaBreeze
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Warrigal
SF VIP
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- Sydney, Australia
One wonders what is the evolutionary advantage of this kind of adaptation.
Meanderer
Supreme Member
The advantage seems to be in the mating ritual !
http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/features/2011/09/parrots-and-lyrebirds-the-great-pretenders/
"The male lyrebird, with his wide-ranging syrinx (a bird's vocal organs), will sing a medley of mimicry to attract and impress a female; the more detailed and varying his repertoire is, the more interesting it seems to potential mates - although the clanging of a construction site may not be appealing to us, it's pabulum for the curiosity of a female lyrebird. Much like females of other bird species, they do not take part in the imitating, but simply judge the competing males' patchwork symphonies.
Once learnt, it seems a lyrebird rarely forgets a call, and these sounds are also passed on through the generations. There are some lyrebirds in Victoria, Australia, that still recreate the sounds of axes, saws and old-fashioned cameras which haven't been used in the region for years.
Because the best singers will tend to be photographed more by experts, they are the most likely to be the best imitators of camera noises and also to pass both these abilities onto their offspring, says Martyn Robinson a naturalist at the Australia Museum in Sydney. "Because they're the most successful birds [with females] and the most photographed birds, they're imitating all the old sounds," he told Australian Geographic."
http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/features/2011/09/parrots-and-lyrebirds-the-great-pretenders/
"The male lyrebird, with his wide-ranging syrinx (a bird's vocal organs), will sing a medley of mimicry to attract and impress a female; the more detailed and varying his repertoire is, the more interesting it seems to potential mates - although the clanging of a construction site may not be appealing to us, it's pabulum for the curiosity of a female lyrebird. Much like females of other bird species, they do not take part in the imitating, but simply judge the competing males' patchwork symphonies.
Once learnt, it seems a lyrebird rarely forgets a call, and these sounds are also passed on through the generations. There are some lyrebirds in Victoria, Australia, that still recreate the sounds of axes, saws and old-fashioned cameras which haven't been used in the region for years.
Because the best singers will tend to be photographed more by experts, they are the most likely to be the best imitators of camera noises and also to pass both these abilities onto their offspring, says Martyn Robinson a naturalist at the Australia Museum in Sydney. "Because they're the most successful birds [with females] and the most photographed birds, they're imitating all the old sounds," he told Australian Geographic."
Warrigal
SF VIP
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
I suppose that is the same with all songbirds, but it is the mimicry that puzzles me.
Mimicry to fool predators makes sense but why would females be attracted to something that is disturbing because it could be associated with danger, such as a chain saw? Chain saws in action are usually followed by a crashing sound as a tree or branches fall to earth. Surely this would be off putting during a mating ritual. Lyrebirds are rather nervous creatures.
Mimicry to fool predators makes sense but why would females be attracted to something that is disturbing because it could be associated with danger, such as a chain saw? Chain saws in action are usually followed by a crashing sound as a tree or branches fall to earth. Surely this would be off putting during a mating ritual. Lyrebirds are rather nervous creatures.
Meanderer
Supreme Member
I agree that we can't take our date to EVERY movie! But we can't give these female birds human qualities. They are hearing a performance of sounds, and perching on the judges chair.
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Bullie76
Member
- Location
- Mississippi
That's unreal. Love the chainsaw sounds.
Warrigal
SF VIP
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
Well, they are bird brains so maybe they don't connect the sound of axes and chainsaws with danger.