I wonder if David Attenborough stayed with the lyrebirds long enough for them to start immitating him?
Lyrbird: “… woo woo woo woo … click-click … pheeeep pheeeeep … camera with a motordrive … kook kook kook kookaburra! … hello, I’m David Attenborough … pheeep pheeeep pheeeep … extraordinary bird … click-whirrrr-click …”
Have they ever been otherwise in Canberra?
No. Nor hummingbirds. On a birief visit to the US, I was blown away by the hummingbirds hovering. Our honeyeaters can hover well, but nothing like a hummingbird.
Lynne
I saw that “20 Greatest Attenborough Moments” programme, and while I have often considered buying one of the series box sets, I am DEFINITELY going to get the Collected Works of David Attenborough as soon as it comes out on HD - I believe all the major series were shot on film, which should mean super-awesome transfers are possible.
My resident mockingbirds can’t hold a candle to the lyrebird but we do have a bluejay who’s managed to minic a hawk.
No. I don’t think I’m quite as close to any reserve as it sounds like Vagus is, but I’m in Canberra and consider myself extremely lucky not have hit a kangaroo yet, they’re everywhere. About 10 years ago when I was still in high school, we found one confidently wandering the halls of our (suburban) school.
Thanks for the video, Vagus. I’m going to the National Zoo & Aquarium next Saturday - I wonder if they have a lyrebird…?
Excuse my ignorance perhaps, but how in the HELL do you imitate a guinea pig, except by being slothful and quiet and munching on stuff?
You never heard a guinea pig chirp , squeal and squeak ?
I had a budgie that did a brilliant impersonation of the cat…
I got nuthin’
And rumble, and mutter, and make those little tribble noises? Man, kambuckta, you’re missing out 
I had retarded guinea pigs then. All they did was eat and shit. Then they’d eat some more, and shit some more. None of them ever acquired any ‘language’ capability I’m afraid.
I’m told the best bird mimics are mynah birds, an Indonesian bird related to crows. They’re often kept as pets, and on more than one occasion an unfortunate bird owner who has put the mynah bird in the same room as the telephone has found hirself unable to tell if it is the phone ringing or the bird.
They’re actually related to starlings, but you’re right, they are incredible mimics, especially of human speech.
[url=“http://www.cavias.de/musik.htm”]This page (in German) has an interactive flash sound player with some samples of typical guinea pig noises - the most common/well-known sound they make is the one labelled der Schrei nach Futter.