China News Service, March 18th. According to foreign media reports, a new study by the Australian National University found that the critically endangered Regent honeyeater is losing its independence due to the difficulty in learning how to call from older males. Some calls may seriously affect mating ability and exacerbate the decline in numbers.
Dr. Ross Crates, an ecologist at the Australian National University, said: “Many birds learn to call sounds in a similar way to how humans learn languages-they learn by listening to other people’s voices.” For 5 years, He has been tracking the singing ability and reproduction of the endangered Wangshe honey bird.
Data map: Wang Shemibird.
"These birds are very rare now. They are very sparsely distributed in their huge range. We think that when some young birds leave the nest and go out to wander on their own, they cannot find other adult kingshoe honeybirds to learn their singing."
The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, stated that the male kingshoe honey bird sings rich and complex tunes in more similar habitats, but only sings simple tunes elsewhere.
Dr. Kratus said that the inability to pass on this unique singing voice may further lead to the decline of this species.
He said: "We are worried that this may be a dangerous warning sign that if this species starts to lose its singing culture, it is actually on the verge of extinction."
Dr. Kratus said this may affect the birds’ ability to communicate and reduce their chances of finding a mate.
"Many songbirds, including Wangshemibirds, use their singing to attract female birds."
Mick Rodrik, head of the Forest Bird Conservation Organization of New South Wales, Australia, said that this fully demonstrates the continuing need for conservation.
He said: "I have never encountered this situation before. It is very sad and very worrying."
According to the report, in order to save the endangered situation of the species, the research team played the correct call of wild kingshoe honeybirds and let the captive kingsho honeybirds learn, hoping to help them attract females when they are released into the wild.