In some regions of Germany, blackbirds no longer sound like blackbirds. The birds surprise with an unusual song. What is behind it?
An unusual phenomenon is causing a stir in Kiel, Lübeck and other regions of Germany: blackbirds are imitating the alarm signal of e-scooters. Bird experts assume that the new song will spread and then be heard in other cities.
Some providers' e-scooters emit a distinctive signal tone when they move without permission. Some blackbirds imitate this tone, and the males in particular seem to like this tone or at least like to imitate it.
Bernd Koop, ornithologist at the Ornithological Working Group Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, explains in an interview with NDR that blackbirds often imitate sounds. However, they tend to imitate those of other birds. “But when they hear a sound or sequence of sounds more often, like with e-scooters, they become curious. And if they like it, they imitate it.”
Other songbirds, such as starlings or song thrushes, also display similar abilities. They also like to imitate various sounds – for example, mobile phone rings or alarm clocks.
What is curious about this development, however, is that blackbirds prefer to imitate the alarm signals of the e-scooter provider Bolt – and not the sounds of their competitors. The reason for this preference is currently a mystery to experts. It could be due to the sequence of sounds or the pitch.
Ornithologists expect that this trendy new “song” will quickly spread among birds. According to the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), this can also be a positive thing. This is because imitation shows the birds' adaptability. And that, in turn, is a good sign of the animals' high level of intelligence and flexibility. By learning the unusual sounds, the blackbirds are able to make themselves heard in the noisy, urban environment.
