While the free-range lyrebird mimics the sounds of other species, Echo of the Taronga Zoo has mastered a baby's cry perfectly.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himChilling. While the lyrebird, symbol of Australia, imitates the sounds and songs of other species in freedom, Echo, locked up in the Taronga Zoo, has perfectly mastered the cry of a child.
In addition to presenting one of the most sophisticated courtship rituals in the world, the common lyrebird, whose scientific name is Menura novaehollandiae, is an extraordinary imitator, capable of emulating an infinity of sounds: the song of other birds, the laughter of other animals and even the human voice, with truly amazing precision.
In its natural habitat, it is capable of imitating the song of about twenty species with such skill as to confuse the specimens of those same species and make them believe they are being called by their companions. Echo, on the other hand - a seven-year-old male lyrebird locked up in Sydney's Taronga Zoo - has learned to perfectly mimic a baby's cry.
The zoo, currently closed due to the pandemic, ensures that the animal started making the sounds of a crying baby about a year ago. Since then Echo has never stopped practicing until he has managed to achieve perfection.
I can only assume he learned this from our guests. Obviously, she worked in her space during her confinement. There are two other sounds that she makes at the moment that she has just learned. One is the sound of an electric drill which is frighteningly accurate, the second is our fire alarm. She even learned the 'evacuate now' announcement, ”Leanne Golebiowski, bird supervisor for the Taronga unit, told The Guardian.
The Australian Zoo boasts of Echo, their "resident lyrebird with the incredible ability to replicate a variety of sounds" and proudly shares the sad images of his imitation as if it were beautiful and normal. While on social media many have fun with "the show", this story breaks our hearts. Without doubt yet another obvious example of the horror of captivity.
Introducing Echo, Taronga's resident Lyrebird!
Bet you weren't expecting this wake-up call! You're not hearing things, our resident lyrebird Echo has the AMAZING ability to replicate a variety of calls – including a baby's cry! It's this ability that makes the lyrebird an expert communicator – and makes US do a double-take ? ?️ via keeper Sam #forthewild #tarongatv #animalantics
Posted by Taronga Zoo Sydney on Monday, August 30, 2021
READ also:
- The baby giraffe who died at the zoo a few days after his birth (without ever having known the savannah)
- Alligator from a zoo attacks his trainer and threatens to tear off her arm
- Zoo installs a terrible box to entertain visitors with a face-to-face encounter with the lion
- All crazy about this Miami Zoo chimpanzee who paints and plays the guitar, but only breaks our hearts?
- Undernourished animals closed in cages in a zoological garden in Tuscany: the intervention of the Carabinieri is required
- Yet another tragedy in a zoo: an elephant died after being attacked by another male
