h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think the male birds are good looking. Not sure if I would be as impressed by the call as I've been listening to a virtuoso of a male mocking bird who sits in one of the big fir trees near the pool. I am not sure if he is trying to attract a mate as much as trying to impress the dull sounding humans their with his impressive playlist!

Hi Elektra! Glad you liked this one. I'd like to hear what that mockingbird has to say/sing!

OK, I'll see if I can find a sound wave recording of one, they are truly remarkable --sort of like the lyre bird of Australia who can imitate chain saws ---it can warble 5 or 6 stanzas of up to 21 other birds. I don't know if they can talk like parrots do, but they are something.

Ok, here is a youtube link of one so you can hear it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNNX3f3_svo

They say in the comments that this is disply behaviour, but since it likes doing it for a human audience ---it probably just enjoys showing off.

Check out this suprise on the seacoast of England. A big black bird came in the house and sat on a cabinet. They should have known it was a 'tame bird' as a truly wild bird was unlikely to do such a thing.


http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/oddnews/giant-black-eagle-flies-into-woman%E2%80%99s-home-while-she%E2%80%99s-watching-television-202434603.html


Alls well that ends well and the dogs were no doubt relieved to come out of the bathroom they were locked in.

A sad event from New Zealand over the death of an endangered parrot, from a very old species of bird.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-27714356

Thanks for all those links Elektra! I have to ration my videos so couldn't listen to all of the mockingbird one, but I recognize its style. It's quite a 'neat' mocker! Over here we have many bird species that mimic sounds - other birds or other sounds. There are the drongos of course, and then there are larks, warblers, robin-chats and more. The funniest was when I once heard a little warbler mimicking the sounds of bigger birds ... but because it was so small, it couldn't mimic them properly, so they came out in the birdie equivalent of a cartoon chipmunk voice!

That is actualy not a very big eagle if its wingspan is 'only' 4 ft! Steppe eagles can get much bigger, I'm sure they can top a 7 ft wingspan.

Sorry to hear about the Kakapo! But I'm happy they are trying so hard to conserve them, and that they know them individually!

Sorry about using up your bandwidth, Willem. I'll try to find some other acoustical file to sent you that won't require so much.

Don't worry Elektra, I listened to about two minutes of its song, which gave me a good idea!