What bird has the most elaborate,
the most complex,
the most beautiful song in the world?
Well I guess there are lots of contenders,
but this bird must be one of them.
The superb Lyre Bird. There's one of them right here.
[the bird is making lots of whistling and chirping noises]
He clears a space in the forest
to serve as his concert platform.
[more different whistles and chirps]
To persuade females to come close and
admire his plumes, he sings the most
complex song he can manage.
He does that by copying the songs
of all the other birds he hears
around him, such as the kookaburra.
[imitates the call of the kookaburra]
It's a very convincing impersonation.
Even the original is fooled.
[kookaburra calls back to the lyrebird, and they call back and forth]
He can imitate the calls
of at least 20 different species.
[he is making more chirps and whistles]
He also, in an attempt to out-sing
his rivals, incorporates other sounds
he hears in the forest.
[sound of a camera taking a picture]
That was a camera shutter.
[another camera sound]
And again.
[and a tuneful whistle, followed by the camera shutter sound]
And now a camera with a motor drive.
[now the shutter sound is followed by the whirr of an automatic advancer]
[sound of a car alarm]
And that's a car alarm.
And now the sounds of foresters and their chainsaws working nearby.
[sound of a chainsaw revving, followed by thumps and buzzes and another chainsaw]
[more chainsaws, sound of water drops]
[sound of a hand saw]
[whistles and chirps]