BIRD TALK

“Make mine a Minor, a Noisy Minor” said Fred who was sitting in his back yard yarning with his mates. “I like a cheeky bird, one who is willing to confront any sized birds who trespasses into his territory. The little codgers are well named. Squawking, tenacious busybodies who worry the dickens out of bigger birds. Why only this morning, I saw one worrying a crow. The crow wasn’t perturbed being dive bombed. So the Noisy called in his mates – a squad of five or six - to worry him. But the crow, being an arrogant bloke, casually ignored them before flying off.”

“I don’t like them at all,” added Tom, “the other day a Kookaburra landed on my bird bath and the Noisies chased him away. Little blighters weren’t the least bit worried or daunted by the Kookaburra’s size or it’s beak.”

“My favourite bird is the Superb Blue Wren”, said Jack after taking a sip of his beer, “I can watch him all day long as he flits and hides amongst the bushes. He’s something to see - his sky-blue colouring, his smallness, his delicate nature and his elusiveness. A sexy little bird with a ‘come hither’ tail. I’m always filled with wonder when I see one. Yes, make mine a Blue Wren every time. What is you favourite bird, George, beside Marilyn Munro?”

George laughed and said “Well, I’m tossing up between the Magpie and the Currawong. I’m a bit of a song man myself and while I love to hear both, I’ll say….. make mine a Magpie. Yeah, the Magpie wins the gold medal for me, especially when a group of them sing. But I do wonder if they are singing or communicating. If their song is a language, what are they saying to each other? Or….. is it a song sung for the pure enjoyment of the moment? Either way, it’s like listening to a symphony or a choir. I only have to sit outside for a free concert anytime time of the day.”

“I also like the sound of the Butcher Bird or Whip bird.” said Tom, “However, the bird I most admire is the Lyre Bird. His musical repertoire is unbeatable and his mimicry is unbelievable. Why only the other day I heard him sound like the shutter of a camera, then a chainsaw, a laughing kookaburra, a car alarm, then his own song intermingled with other bird calls. As well, his dance is something to see especially when his huge tail feathers are stunningly fanned out in display. He’s a bit of a shy bloke, but when you accidentally creep up on him and see him dancing, he is elegance. The Fred Astaire of the bird world. What a bird. Yes, every time……make mine a Lyre Bird.”