82 Listening to Birds
About this episode
Dr Vicky Austin shares how birds use sound in surprising ways, including female mimicry and chick learning. She also gives advice about recording bird calls with apps like Merlin and BirdNet.
Resources
Superb Lyrebird recording by Nick Talbot (XC340211) - licenced from xeno-canto.org
Superb Fairywren recording by Marc Anderson - licenced from wildambience.com
Meet the Guest
Dr Vicky Austin is interested in bird behaviour and how birds interact with each other and their environment. She is particularly fascinated by the vocalisations of female birds. Vicky’s PhD at Western Sydney University focused on the vocalisations of female Superb Lyrebirds (such as mimicry) and how females use these sounds to protect themselves and their chicks. Vicky reckons that vocalisations of female birds are just as spectacular as males and she’s here to share what she knows.
