Parson bird

[dianavilliers]

More usually known by its Maori name, the Tui has twin voice-boxes, and an unusual song.
They are also remarkable imitators. I'm pretty sure these vids weren't faked, but I do know there was at least one tui around our bach which could do a fair imitation of the lawnmower. Why it thought imitating the lawnmower was a good idea we'll never know.

Comments

[amphigori.livejournal.com]

That's a lovely photo. I'm so fond of the Tui. I love their body language when they sing - all stretched out necks and bobbing up and down.

Who knows what captures the fancy of mimics. A friend of mine had a parrot who simply loved to imitate the sound of the toilet flushing. Over and over and over again.

[dianavilliers.livejournal.com]

I can see that having a positive feedback effect if there was someone present who was um -affected- by the sound of running water.

I did hear somewhere a rather poetic theory - that since tui are such good imitators, and young tui learn their song from their parents, that there may be preserved in tui-song the sounds of the prehistoric NZ forest.

[shoobear.livejournal.com]

I very, very much like that idea... *hopes it's true*