Birds in the wild are not just singers; they are master impersonators. Their mimicry isn’t for entertainment—it is a finely tuned survival strategy.
Ornithologist Dr. Prathamesh Desai, based in Mumbai and affiliated with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), explains: “Mimicry is one of the most fascinating tools in a bird’s arsenal. It’s used for survival, defence, and even competition.”
At Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary, Dr. Desai observed a striking example: the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo mimicking both a Malabar Trogon and a Forest Owlet. “This kind of impersonation shows how birds adapt their calls depending on what helps them the most,” he says.
Mimicry as Defence
One of the most common uses of mimicry is protection. “Drongos often imitate the alarm calls of predators such as hawks, kites, and shikras,” says Dr. Desai. “This ‘predator deterrence’ can scare away dangers threatening their nests.”
Mimicry can also be a bluff. “By copying the calls of dominant species, a bird can make rivals believe that a territory is already occupied or too risky to challenge,” he explains.
Even outside the forests, this behaviour shows up. “A colleague, Ramesh Shenoy, recorded a Black Drongo mimicking the sound of domestic cats in his backyard. It’s a clear sign of how quickly these birds pick up cues from their surroundings,” says Dr. Desai.
Scaring Away Competition
Beyond defence, mimicry is also a clever way to secure food. “A Drongo may mimic the call of a raptor to scatter a flock of smaller birds,” Dr. Desai explains. “That gives it direct access to food that would otherwise be contested. It’s deception in action.”
While Drongos are the best-known impersonators, they’re not alone. Two other remarkable mimics in India are the Tawny Lark and the Long-tailed Shrike.
The Lark and the Shrike
“The Tawny Lark, found in the scrublands of western and central India, has an extraordinary vocal range,” says Dr. Desai. “It can imitate residents like the Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark, the Red-wattled Lapwing, or even migratory visitors. In fact, its mimicry is sometimes statistically indistinguishable from the original.”
This, he notes, plays a role in courtship. “Females often prefer males with superior mimetic skills, making it a factor in sexual selection.”
Shrikes, meanwhile, use mimicry as a hunting tactic. “Known as ‘butcher birds’ because of their predatory habits, Shrikes can imitate other birds to lure prey closer—an unusual blend of vocal trickery and predation,” Dr. Desai explains.
Wild vs. Captive
Many people associate mimicry with pet birds imitating human speech. But Dr. Desai draws a clear distinction. “Species like the Rose-ringed Parakeet, Alexandrine Parakeet, and Common Hill Myna are famous in captivity for mimicking human voices. But in the wild, their mimicry has nothing to do with us—it’s about responding to the sounds of their natural environment.”
A Final Note
As Dr. Desai sums up: “The next time you’re out on a bird walk, don’t just assume you’re hearing a routine call. You might be listening to a black-feathered artist performing a carefully crafted act.”
Birds, then, are not only creatures of flight but also virtuosos of sound—shaping their world through deception, survival, and song.
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo ( en.wikipedia.org )
Forest Owlet ( ebird.org )
Malabar Trogo ( birdingsouthindia.com )
