When we think of birds mimicking sounds, we typically think of some kind of parrot, lyrebird or maybe even a cockatoo.
But magpies are among the best of the sound-sampling songbirds out there.
This is demonstrated in the video above, which was filmed by Sarah Riseley in suburban Brisbane.
One of her local magpies had taken shelter from the rain on her verandah and was indulging in a spot of singing.
And part of its song sounded like an ambulance hurrying off to a medical emergency.
"I was working from home and making lunch in the kitchen when I heard the siren," Ms Riseley says.
"I listened to the bird for a while and then started recording to show my five- and three-year-old when they got home."
She hadn't heard a magpie making sounds like that before.
Magpies are excellent mimics
Gisela Kaplan, an animal behaviour professor at the University of New England, has studied the songs of magpies for more than 20 years.
Lyrebirds might be more famous for mimicking sounds than magpies — as you can hear in the video below from Taronga Zoo, they're very good at human baby cries:
But in her book, Australian Magpie: Biology and Behaviour of an Unusual Songbird, Professor Kaplan points out that magpies are better at it.
"In terms of tempo, rhythm, amplitude or modulation, magpies were more accurate in their renditions of mimicked sounds than lyrebirds," she says.
"Magpies do not string their mimicked sequence along a fixed sequence as lyrebirds do, but intersperse their own song with snippets in any manner possible."
Magpies can bark like dogs — and laugh like kookaburras
Magpies typically mimic other living creatures, Professor Kaplan says.
"They seem to develop a soundscape of their own territory," she says.
If there is a horse in their territory, they might mimic its neighing and do it very well.
"They can do a dog bark — of any kind of breed."
Magpies can replicate the yaps of a little dog and the deep growls of larger breeds, Professor Kaplan says.
They also often sample other bird species in their songs.
"There's even a kookaburra in [the video] and you probably wouldn’t notice because they’re part of the soundscape."
Play the clip again and listen out for the laughing kookaburra:
Loading...Magpies can talk like humans
She's an expert in magpie mimicry now, but it was a surprising encounter with one of the black and white birds that sparked her interest years ago.
"A magpie in the garden said to me 'I’ve got dinner for you'," Professor Kaplan says.
"I went out into the garden and the bird repeated it to my face as clear as a bell."
She tells the story of a slightly less friendly remark from a magpie:
"Nick Fox related a story to me recently of a hand-raised magpie that lived on a farm near the shearers' quarters where falconry meetings were held some years ago. While the harriers were shackled and had a cover over their eyes, one bird pumped its wings near the magpie creating strong gusts nearly knocking the magpie off its perch – the magpie looked up and shouted 'Piss off!' clearly and loudly to the amusement of all present."
Why is this magpie mimicking a siren?
Probably because it's a regular sound in the bird's territorial patch.
Magpies usually only mimic the sounds they hear regularly, Professor Kaplan says.
This creates something of a vocal memory, so the birds can assess threats.
"Perhaps the siren is a little worrisome," she says.
"Since such a sound is not a natural sound, they need to watch and find out its purpose.
"They want to know what function this siren has."
Strategic sound sampling
Magpies have many calls to express alarm or to clear out birds encroaching on their territory.
Such territorial calls are very loud and usually brief, Professor Kaplan says.
But it's possible they use mimicry to their advantage.
She gives the example of a magpie using the skill as a protective measure:
"A magpie had learned to use the name of a dog on a property in New South Wales. The owners also had a cat that had tried everything to get rid of the magpie. When the cat approached, the magpie did not fly away but called out the name of the dog; the dog came running and chased the cat away. Calling the dog was not mimicry any longer but a most effective way to use the dog's name."
This shows a magpie repeating the sound it learned, applying it at the right time and in a context where it makes sense.
Why do magpies sing?
While many songbirds sing to attract a mating partner, that's not how the magpie operates.
"Territorial birds do not need extravagant songs but just calls to make clear their ownership of a patch," Professor Kaplan says.
"Magpies are territorial but they, both males and females, still sing extensively—so perhaps it is just for the fun of it."
So, possibly, a magpie's singing is an example of them taking little time for themselves after rearing chicks.
"The most singing is done after all the demanding time of parenting is past," Professor Kaplan says.
"When raising young, they usually say very little — they're too busy getting food and they're only thinking about food from dawn to dusk.
"But the moment the fledglings are out of the nests and can start feeding themselves, they start sitting down by themselves for a bit of a jam session."
This solo singing was what Ms Riseley saw at her place.
The magpie was contentedly chirping along on his own.
"It was talking well before I started participating," she says.
"I was just seeing what else it would say."
But even if it is a solitary activity for the birds, it can be quite meaningful for us humans lucky enough to be in earshot.
"Singing is something they might just do for themselves but it is a distinct musical sound that we can all enjoy, often for hours, especially in late summer," Professor Kaplan says.
"These are among the most beautiful sounds of the bush.
"Any expat can tell you that they get homesick the minute they hear the magpie song — it is so intrinsically Australian."