Sir David Attenborough - Superb Lyrebird - master mimic (1 Viewer)

[Marmot]

When Sir David Attenborough was 80 earlier on this year there was a vote to find his best moment with all the animals he had ever encoutered in his long career.

There was a thread started up on here but no one ever put what the winner was. It was the Superb Lyrebird, which was a master mimic. He did imitations of chainsaw, camera and an alarm.

I was having a look for this today as we had a "superb" picture of one put in the gallery ..luckily I came up with an article which was in the Daily Mail newspaper and you can also watch the clip as there is a link to it.

I know it was a moment that has stuck in my memory for years and probably a lot of you remember it as well. Or if you have never came across "Sir David or this marvelous mimic I urge you to watch the clip with your speakers up.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/tvandsoap.html?in_page_id=1887&in_article_id=385372

 

[Bec64]

That is so awesome it nearly made me cry (as it nearly did the first time I heard it)! thanks for posting this - I'm passing it on - more people should know about this and how amazing the natural world is!

 

[level seven]

Absolutely incredible! Uncanny. Thanks for pointing me to that Marmot.

Maybe the crew should have crept back a few minutes later though. They would probably have caught the bird doing a perfect imitation of Attenborough's hushed tones! I wouldn't put it past it, having heard the camera shutter and buzz saw stuff.

Hard to believe he's 80....

 

[medinabrit]

Thanks Marmot for shearing that with us all .
It helped to make my Christmas a bit merrier.
Merrie Christmas all.
Brian.

 

[Stewart J.]

Last weekend UK TV History channel had a full day of back to back World of Birds and I watched that exact clip in awe again.

Stewart

 

[bird daft]

Brilliant! Have never seen that clip before, absolutely magical! Thanks for posting it

 

[The Raptor]

This amazing bird mimicking, must surely be one of the seven wonders of the world, if not, then I believe it should be. What could beat it, I would like to know.

Rod.

 

[Stephen Powell]

Lyrebird

I get to see and hear Lyrebirds on my regular visits to a nearby forest. On some occasions I see as many as 20 birds. They feed and display close to a popular walking track. Its a magical experience every time. They mimic every bird in the area but the best I heard was a Kookaburra call, which they do regularly, but this time it mimicked one far away. With all the 'smoky' tones of a distant bird. I just laughed!
My father in law worked in the forest many years ago. He has heard them mimic, barking dogs, squeaky gates and old water pumps.

 

[Rasmus Boegh]

What could beat it, I would like to know.

Yes, I know this is a very old thread, but seeing it has been re-opened I'll answer the above: Lawrence's Thrush (Turdus lawrencii). To quote Handbook of the Birds of the World vol. 10:

Some sing virtually all day, and certainly for long stretches (several hours, with a break of no more than 10-15 minutes; up to 250 phrases delivered in secession), and each has its own repertoire. Variety of species mimicked is extraordinary: up to 51 avian species in a single bout, and among 30 recorded individuals, voices of 173 bird species identified.

While that is far beyond the lyrebird, it certainly doesn't devaluate the amazing experiance it is seeing - and hearing - one of these stunning creatures.