Footage of an Australian bird mimicking the sound of emergency sirens has gone viral in the midst of the raging Australian bushfires,contact us which have now burned millions of acres of Australian land.
The astounding video was taken in Newcastle, New South Wales by Gregory Andrews, who posted it to Facebook on Dec. 26. The bird's impression is spot on, but the sad context of the bushfires — the reason the bird has heard enough sirens to mimic them perfectly — turns what would normally be a cool and lighthearted video into something unsettling, somber, and practically dystopian.
SEE ALSO: Australian town looks apocalyptic amid horrifying firesAccording to bird expert Kenn Kaufman, the bird in the video is an Australian magpie, which Kaufman says is an amazing vocalist, "known for its loud, clear, 'caroling' whistles." The species is important to note, since lyrebirds are also prevalent in Australia and skilled in the art of mimicry.
"[The magpie] does a fair amount of mimicry, although not as much as the lyrebirds," Kaufman told Mashable. "Many of its usual calls have a ringing, whistling quality somewhat like an emergency-vehicle siren, so it's not much of a stretch for the bird to appropriate that sound and mimic the actual sirens."
Still, the video is a sobering reflection on the devastation that these wildfires have caused. Thousands have been cut off from food and water, and 18 people have died. And the fires continue to burn.
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