Two sympatric species of passerine birds imitate the same raptor calls in alarm contexts

@article{Ratnayake2009TwoSS,
  title={Two sympatric species of passerine birds imitate the same raptor calls in alarm contexts},
  author={Chaminda P Ratnayake and Eben Goodale and Sarath Wimalabandara Kotagama},
  journal={Naturwissenschaften},
  year={2009},
  volume={97},
  pages={103-108}
}
While some avian mimics appear to select sounds randomly, other species preferentially imitate sounds such as predator calls that are associated with danger. Previous work has shown that the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) incorporates predator calls and heterospecific alarm calls into its own species-typical alarm vocalizations. Here, we show that another passerine species, the Sri Lanka Magpie (Urocissa ornata), which inhabits the same Sri Lankan rainforest, imitates three… 
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Thornbills’ use of alarm call mimicry across different contexts of danger is examined, suggesting that mimicking predator-appropriate heterospecific alarm calls in response to aerial and terrestrial threats may facilitate interspecific alarm communication with other prey species.
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A more central role is revealed for vocal mimicry in the behavioural ecology of birds than has previously been appreciated and a modified version of Vane‐Wright's (1980) widely used definition of mimicry is proposed.
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