Mimicry and The Lyrebird (Online David Attenborough Video)

In April 2006, to celebrate naturalist David Attenborough's 80th birthday, the public were asked to vote on their favourite of his television moments. This clip of the lyrebird was voted number one. A Lyrebird is either of two species of ground-dwelling Australian birds, most notable for their extraordinary ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment.

The clip comes from the "The Life of Birds" (Amazon UK | US | DVD US) and features a lyrebird imitating everything from a kookaburra (the 'laughing jackass' of Australia) to the motor drive of a camera to the sound of a chainsaw - you have to hear it to believe it!

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John Latter / Jorolat
Evolution Research
http://evomech3.blogspot.com/