WEBVTT

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What bird has the most elaborate,

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the most complex,

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the most beautiful song in the world?

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Well I guess there are lots of contenders,

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but this bird must be one of them.

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The superb Lyre Bird. There's one of them right here.

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[the bird is making lots of whistling and chirping noises]

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He clears a space in the forest

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to serve as his concert platform.

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[more different whistles and chirps]

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To persuade females to come close and

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admire his plumes, he sings the most

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complex song he can manage.

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He does that by copying the songs

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of all the other birds he hears

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around him, such as the kookaburra.

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[imitates the call of the kookaburra]

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It's a very convincing impersonation.

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Even the original is fooled.

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[kookaburra calls back to the lyrebird, and they call back and forth]

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He can imitate the calls

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of at least 20 different species.

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[he is making more chirps and whistles]

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He also, in an attempt to out-sing

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his rivals, incorporates other sounds

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he hears in the forest.

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[sound of a camera taking a picture]

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That was a camera shutter.

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[another camera sound]

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And again.

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[and a tuneful whistle, followed by the camera shutter sound]

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And now a camera with a motor drive.

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[now the shutter sound is followed by the whirr of an automatic advancer]

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[sound of a car alarm]

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And that's a car alarm.

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And now the sounds of foresters and their chainsaws working nearby.

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[sound of a chainsaw revving, followed by thumps and buzzes and another chainsaw]

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[more chainsaws, sound of water drops]

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[sound of a hand saw]

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[whistles and chirps]