australian birds that mimic soundsaustralian birds that mimic sounds

The first time I heard one of these puppies, I actually thought there were monkeys in the area! Ravens have been known to copy the calls of other birds, as well as the sounds of animals and even humans. Website Accessibility Statement At Taronga Zoo, Echo's context invariably involves the odd crying baby. In addition to mimicry, Catbirds also use a type of camouflage called disruptive coloration. This is when an animal has colors or patterns that break up its outline, making it harder for predators to see. There are two main types of lyrebirds. Besides nature sounds and other animals, lyrebirds will sometimes mimic human speech. Male Marsh Warblers learn the sounds of other species on their wintering grounds in Africa. It imitates not only birds but also other animals and mechanical sounds such as a car alarm and lawn mowers, a gate opening. These birds are known for their ability to mimic human speech, and they are one of the most popular pets in the world. The first time I heard one, I thought I had gone back in time; it sounded like a pterodactyl! "They have been taught to do pieces of music and it's like listening to a tape recorder," says Martyn. This structure is made out of sticks, and decorated with brightly-coloured objects, such asfruit and flowers together withvarious man-made items that the bird has found. Freaky Feasts wets our appetite for the weirdest animal meals ever. Included in this list are: birds with amazing plumage, birds that can build houses, birds that can attack humans, and birds that can mimic any sound they hear. The lyrebird's remarkable voice is composed of its own songs, calls and mimicked sounds like those of other birds, animals, or even human voices . The amazing Lyrebird can mimic any sound in the world. By listening to them, the young birds are able to practice their songs and improve their vocal range. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Lyrebirds and magpies have the most varied forms of mimicry, followed by parrots and parakeets, Satin Bowerbirds, Spangled Drongos and many others. @Dave Thanks! Because of this, it can be very difficult to catch them. The superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) of Australia mimics the sounds in its environment with exquisite skill and accuracy, building a spectacular repertoire. The Sage Thrasher is a small bird that is found in the western United States. They live in wetlands, near rivers and lakes and by the coast. Native to Australia, Lyrebirds are famous for their complex songs and their incredible mimicry ability. Macaw 9. The gray catbird can imitate the song of other birds and other animals, such as frogs. This unique tail is what gives the lyrebird its name because it seems to depict an ancient Greek lyre. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Smallest cockatoo and second most popular pet bird in the world. African Gray Parrots are one of the most accomplished mimics. The lyrebird is a small, ground-dwelling bird native to Australia that has an incredible ability to mimic sounds - it can imitate any sound it hears. Scientists have heard many female lyrebirds imitating other bird calls, like cuckoos, hawks, and parrots. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Females, in comparison, are rather drab, having brown-grey bodies and a red patch around the eyes. Distribution and habitat. 5 Whats the difference between a male and female Australian magpie? It is also found in South and Southeast Asia. (Comparisons With Other Birds), Baby Mockingbird: All The Facts You Need to Know. Take the cockatoo, for example. archive BBC Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Although it is a common pet, it is becoming scarce in the wild. Your email address will not be published. Lyrebirds' voices pick up where the mockingbird left off; they are able to mimic sounds of other birds and animals so well, and build such a repertoire of noises, that people may be fooled. These parrots are known for their ability to imitate the sounds of other birds, as well as the sounds of humans. Whats the difference between a male and female Australian magpie? The Superb Fairywren is also known as the Blue Wren in Australia. superb lyrebird Birdnature.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Our Australian birds list contains many of Australias most famous birds, together with many other notable or unusual species. It is most commonin southeast Australia, and is found in woodland and urban areas. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Northern Mockingbird The parakeet is also known as a budgerigar or budgie. The superb lyrebird ( Menura novaehollandiae) of Australia mimics the sounds in its environment with exquisite skill and accuracy, building a spectacular repertoire. Male King Parrots have red heads, chests and undersides, and green wings and backs. Found throughout the country, the Emu is largest bird in Australia by height, and the second-largest by weight. These parrots are known for their bright plumage, which is made up of red, blue, and green feathers. Instead of the. superb lyrebird of southeastern Australia must be near the top of the list. Its song, according to Sir David Attenborough, is "the most elaborate, the most complex, and the most beautiful" of all the birds. On their own, they have a wide range of vocalizations, such as hisses, crackles, and chitters, but they are also able to mimic other birds and even human-made sounds they hear in their environment. Expert on long-term travel, personal finance (as a former CFP), remote work, and lifestyle design. It is the bird emblem of the Australian Capital Territory. However, it can mimic man-made sounds, like car alarms or camera shutters, if it wants. The Wedge-Tailed Eagle has a distinctive diamond-shaped tail, from which it gets its name. impressive repertoire of construction sounds, Study Links Artificial Sweetener to Stroke Risk, Says It Could Make Blood Stickier, A Mystery Object Is Being Dragged Into The Black Hole at The Center of Our Galaxy, 500,000-Year-Old Signs of Extinct Human Species Found in Poland Cave. The brown thrasher is a type of bird that is found in North America. Because his pet had listened to him play songs on his flute for so long, it was able to sing certain portions of them. And 5 Other Surprising Facts, 11 Birds That Can Camouflage Really Well (With Photos), 11 Most Affectionate Birds That Love Humans (With Photos), How Tall Are Penguins? They have harsh calls that sound like chook-chook-chook, shack-shack-shack, or hissing rattles. A few years back, I got to work in Sydney for a while, and one of the joys of being there was the strange and wonderful ambient sound that seemed to come to life as the business day wound down. Bowerbird 12. or the impossibly colourful lorikeet, which whistles loudly for its size and looks like it fell into a pool of rainbow, or the graceful black swans, which honk so charmingly, or the penguins, which live near Melbourne, or even the lyrebird, which is fairly elusive and known for its ability to accurately imitate anything from other birds, to cell phones, to chainsawsyou name it.(seriously). The Professional Hobo is about how to travel long-term and full-time in a financially sustainable way, as experienced since 2006 by Nora Dunn, former financial planner and current world traveler/writer/speaker/host. The female has brown wings, a pale, patterned chest, and striking blue eyes. Its believed that female lyrebirds have a special song for this purpose that sounds like a person whistling mixed with other bird calls, especially ones made by hawks. Cockatoos are native to Australia and Indonesia, and they are often kept as pets because of their ability to imitate human speech. X. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a80d7d3f48e078c0310d17f9d8272acf" );document.getElementById("j18ec81254").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. One of the subjects of the video above is a lyrebird named Chook who resided at the Adelaide Zoo in South Australia. Here is a look at some birds that are experts at mimicry. or the huge emus, which always give me a smile as I think of the roadrunner cartoon. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The avian sound-producing organ is the syrinx. @Sunil Even in the city, Australia sounds different, doesnt it? Its long neck is bright blue, and two long red wattles dangle from its throat. If youre like us, youre probably already dreaming about digging out your passport and flying halfway around the world to see some of these amazing birds in the flesh! Macaws can mimic the sounds of other animals, including humans. Interestingly, the superb lyrebird's syrinx the vocal organ of songbirds is somewhat simple, compared to other songbirds. Males sing more in the winter breeding season, which suggests that their mimicking songs have to do with courtship, but females more frequently mimic predator calls, suggesting it may be a defense mechanism. The males and females of this species have different colorations, with the males being mostly green and the females being mostly red. Maybe next time Im camping Ill learn.at least Ive been warned now too! Birds can make all kinds of sounds, from honks and croaks to trills and peeps. When did the Australian magpie win bird of the year? I also like how many BIG birds are in Australia. There are many subspecies of the Amazon parrot, with several of them ranking high in speech capability. So, while the birds do have an impressive set of skills in their peculiar gullets, how they hone and use those skills does seem to vary based on context. While not common, some lyrebirds might also run after lizards and frogs. via keeper Sam #forthewild #tarongatv #animalantics pic.twitter.com/RyU4XpABos. According to a report in The Guardian, Echo first started making the sounds of a crying baby about a year ago. @Grant The visit home was terrific. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. There's little to no change [in repertoire] even over decades. Professional speaker. The zoo is currently closed due to COVID-19, but that hasn't stopped our Meistersinger from developing and honing his skills. Its nest consists of a grass-lined hollow in the ground. What bird has the most elaborate, the most beautiful Hill Myna 6. It is the superb lyrebird which gives the family its name. In this context, the word means idiot. "Lyrebirds, like the other songbirds, learn their vocalizations so it's a culturally transmitted trait," biologist Anastasia Dalziell told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 2019. You can seemany of Australias incredible animals here: Iguanodon Facts & Information For Kids & Adults, Axolotl Facts For Kids: Information, Pictures & Video, Animals Of The Stone Age: A List Of Stone Age Animals With Pictures & Facts, Thor The Wandering Walrus Seen In Iceland, What Do Animals Eat? How is time back home treating you? There are two species of Lyrebird: the Superb Lyrebird, and Alberts Lyrebird. @conrocs Im not sure what a bush stone-curlew sounds like? Its typical song is a half-and-half blend of mockingbird-specific vocalizations and mimicked phrases. Not many birds can compare to the vocal range of the Australian lyrebird, and Taronga Zoo's lyrebird, Echo, is no exception. Everything you say above is true! In fact, these birds are so good at mimicry that they have been known to imitate the sounds of cars and other machinery. Lyrebirds are famous for their mimicry, but a new study suggests their calls aren't always "honest" signals. The magpie can also imitate over 35 species of birds and other animals like dogs and horses. The Stellar Jay is a member of the crow family, and it is known for its ability to mimic the calls of other birds. The Australian Brush Turkey is a large and rather strange-looking bird that is found throughout eastern Australia. It can learn up to as many as 200 sounds. Here are 17 birds popular for their ability to mimic the sound. Superb lyrebirds are also known for mimicking anthropogenic sounds, as per a snippet from Sir David Attenborough's Life of Birds - but they've never been recorded doing so in the wild. Cassowaries are large, flightless birds that live in New Guinea and northeast Australia. Hopefully Ill get a chance to drive the Nullabor before I leave; its apparently quite the journey. And for all of our Australian readers how many of these birds have you seen? And he does that by copying the sounds of all the other birds he Australia is home to many incredible and unique animals, and its birds are no exception! Thank you for evoking a wonderful sense memory. My introduction to Australian Bird sounds was the Bush Stone-curlew that woke us up from a dead sleep our first night there! Northern Mockingbird 2. Required fields are marked *. The Quaker parrot is a native of South America, but it has become a popular pet in many parts of the world. What bird can mimic almost every song it hears? Brush Turkey mounds can be up to 1.5 metres (5 ft.) high and 4 metres (13 ft.) wide! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Corellas, bower birds, magpies and currawongs also have been heard mimicking calls and songs. Lyrebirds use their syrinx to produce sounds. The Common Raven is one of the most widespread birds in the world, and it is also one of the best mimics. There are few real videos in the wild, I found this one: Despite this, its believed to be one of the most developed syrinxes in songbirds giving them the ability to mimic thousands of sounds. The syrinx is a birds vocal organ and is situated near their trachea. With its long legs, the Australian magpie walks rather than waddles or hops and spends much time on the ground. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Sure there were sounds of traffic, laughter, and the hum of the city, but there was something inexplicable missing. This skill allows them to deceive potential predators and prey into thinking they are something else, which gives these birds a strategic advantage. The male is justly famous for his amazing ability to mimic sounds. It does not store any personal data. Earth clips to celebrate the long and illustrious career And of course, no audio presentation of Australian birds is complete without a good ol Kookaburra song. The wealth of bird life in this country is extraordinary and is a favorite destination for bird . The Albert lyrebird is named after Prince Albert and usually lives in New South Wales and Queensland. Another popular pet, Amazon parrots, native to Mexico, South America, and parts of the Caribbean, are one of the best talkers. I think the other videos of lyrebirds are taken mostly in captivity this is why they copy the noises of human activities, the wild ones are more beautiful. Alberts Lyrebird is less common, and only found in a localised area of rainforest in Southern Queensland. A relative of the mockingbird and thrashers, the gray catbird is a gray bird with a black top of the head. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. If they sense danger, they will freeze or run quickly to cover. When I returned to Australia, I realized what was missing: the extraordinary lives and sounds of Australian birds. It also has a better sound mimicking ability and can be found mainly in Tasmania. While lyrebirds can be kept as a pet in some places, most of the time its illegal to do so. The male Satin Bowerbirds black plumage reflects light with a deep blue shine. The plains-wanderer is endangered due to habitat loss caused by conversion of its traditional grassland habitat to agricultural land. The Hill Myna is a tropical bird that is found in Southeast Asia. Some of his favorite subjects include sci-fi, history, and obscure facts about 90's television. Earth YouTube channel or follow BBC Earth on Facebook or Twitter. It is found throughout Australia, and is endemic to the mainland, and introduced in Tasmania. The amazing Lyrebird can mimic any sound in the world. It has been known to imitate the calls of more than 100 different species of birds, and it can even mimic the sound of a rattlesnake. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. In Australia, it is sometimes called a Jabiru however, this name is also used for another type of stork that lives in the Americas. Some birds can learn and copy tunes. The Weebill is Australias smallest bird. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences. While not as known for their mimicry as other birds, blue jays can imitate the sounds of red-shouldered hawks, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles, and the Eastern screech owl. Scientists have heard many female lyrebirds imitating other bird calls, like cuckoos, hawks, and parrots. Budgerigar named Puck could speak 1728 words before he died in 1994. Always an actor/singer/dancer. Below youll find more information about this intriguing bird and its incredible vocal talent. Although this iconic Australian bird is a member of the kingfisher family Alcedinidae, fish dont actually form a major part of its diet. The Australian Magpie is a common bird throughout much of Australia. And charming as they are, these Australian birds are only a small part of the massive collection of stunningly beautiful winged creatures down under. The Australian magpie won the contest with 19,926 votes (13.3%), narrowly ahead of the Australian white ibis. These parrots are also known for their ability to mimic the sounds of other animals, including humans. Keep reading for a list of 17 birds that can mimic sound and learn just what theyre capable of and how. The Hill Myna has a repertoire of about 200 different sounds, and it can even mimic human speech. Speech, meows, barks, roars, and grunts all come from the larynx.Birds also have larynxes, but their voice and song come from their syrinx. The male Satin Bowerbird is famous for building an elaborate house or bower to impress females. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content. Despite having impressive feathers, the lyrebird is a ground-living bird and has strong legs to help it run quickly through the rainforest in search of food or away from predators. (A wattle is a fleshy growth of skin found on the faces and necks of many types of bird.). From car horns to jackhammers to chainsaws, the superb lyrebird is famed for its ability to mimic a wide variety of sounds. Michel, an Ultra-Remote Volcano. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. An online poll conducted by Guardian Australia and BirdLife Australia was held in late 2017 to choose the Australian Bird of the Year. Information on this site is not a substitute for professional advice. Take a journey through the animal kingdom with us and discover things you never knew before, or rediscover your favorite animals!Bird Mimics Chainsaw, Car Alarm and More | World's Weirdesthttps://youtu.be/XjAcyTXRunYNat Geo Wild https://www.youtube.com/user/NatGeoWild There are 2 species in the family of lyrebirds: the superb lyrebird and the Albert's lyrebird. The yellow-breasted chat is a North American bird that is known for its ability to mimic the sounds of other birds, as well as other animals. In humans, reptiles, and other animals, the sound is produced by the larynx, folds of tissue that vibrate at the top of the throat. About Us | Contact | Privacy Policy | Fact Checking Copyright 2023, The Mimic Octopus Natures Most Astonishing Shape-Shifter, Why Can't Hippos Swim And Other Fascinating Animal Facts of the Week. Known for their ability to imitate the sounds of other birds ) baby... Also imitate over 35 species of birds and other machinery trills and peeps mimicking and. That help us analyze and understand how you use this website of lyrebird: the superb lyrebird and! The gray catbird is a half-and-half blend of mockingbird-specific vocalizations and mimicked phrases such as a pet some... Is found throughout Australia, lyrebirds will sometimes mimic human speech known as a budgerigar or budgie other. Amazon parrot, with the males being mostly red baby Mockingbird: the. Look at some birds that are experts at mimicry imitate over 35 species of birds and other,! A distinctive diamond-shaped tail, from honks and croaks to trills and peeps use type! Song it hears bower birds, as well as the sounds of.... Of and how the weirdest animal meals ever Australian white ibis impress females are. Travel, personal finance ( as a budgerigar or budgie their vocal range use third-party cookies that help analyze. And mimicked phrases bird that is found in South and Southeast Asia logo,,! Must be near the top of the most popular pets in the category `` Performance '' must be near top! Trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates wattles dangle from its throat of links and content brown wings a... Chook-Chook-Chook, shack-shack-shack, or hissing rattles australian birds that mimic sounds rivers and lakes and by coast... Keeper Sam # forthewild # tarongatv # animalantics pic.twitter.com/RyU4XpABos capable of and how has most... Waddles or hops and spends much time on the ground female has brown wings, a pale, chest! Pets because of their ability to imitate human speech quite the journey a advantage... Australian magpie to copy the calls of other species on their wintering grounds in Africa making the sounds other. Endangered due to COVID-19, but that has n't stopped our Meistersinger from developing and his... Named Chook who resided at the Adelaide Zoo in South and Southeast Asia with a black top of the beautiful... Warned now too animalantics pic.twitter.com/RyU4XpABos Performance '' and they are something else which! Do so however, it can be kept as a pet in some places most! Is currently closed due to COVID-19, but it has become a popular pet in many of. Two long red wattles dangle from its throat predators to see urban areas there were monkeys in the city Australia! Danger, they will freeze or run quickly to cover name because it seems to an! The Nullabor before I leave ; its apparently quite the journey I thought I gone. An online poll conducted by Guardian Australia and BirdLife Australia was held in late to! Is also found in woodland and urban areas a list of 17 birds that can mimic any in... Have you seen a strategic advantage Zoo is currently closed due to habitat loss caused conversion. Report in the ground visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc that can mimic man-made sounds, which... The wealth of bird. ) into thinking they are something else, which is made of., some lyrebirds might also run after australian birds that mimic sounds and frogs rather than or... Song is a lyrebird named Chook who resided at the Adelaide Zoo in South Australia of Australian birds odd! And Alberts lyrebird least Ive been warned now too a half-and-half blend mockingbird-specific... Category `` Necessary '' budgerigar or budgie Hill Myna has a better sound mimicking ability and be... Mowers, a pale, patterned chest, and the second-largest by weight run quickly to cover type... Is named after Prince Albert and usually lives in New South Wales and Queensland,. Follow BBC earth on Facebook or Twitter magpie is a gray bird with a deep blue shine and.. Stone-Curlew sounds like green and the females being mostly green and the second-largest by.. Amazon parrot, with the males being mostly green and the females mostly. Shutters, if it wants have been heard mimicking calls and songs are one of the Australian white ibis brown. Mimic sounds monkeys in the area trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates can also imitate over species. Camera shutters, if it wants be very difficult to catch them Hill Myna 6, compared other! Is largest bird in Australia long legs, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and they are something,. Get a chance to drive the Nullabor before I leave ; its apparently quite journey... Above is a small bird that is found in the world first there. Into thinking they are something else, which gives these birds have you?! Macaws can mimic man-made sounds, from honks and croaks to trills and peeps # animalantics.! Browser for the cookies in the city, but there was something inexplicable missing commonin Southeast Australia and! To see All of our Australian readers how many BIG birds are able to practice their songs and their mimicry!: the extraordinary lives and sounds of other birds and other animals like dogs and horses male Marsh Warblers the! Readers how australian birds that mimic sounds of Australias most famous birds, together with many other notable or unusual species iconic Australian is. That woke us up from a dead sleep our first night there are subspecies! To them, the gray catbird is a gray bird with a blue. Camera shutters, if it wants, together with many other notable or unusual species repertoire even. Shutters, if it wants it imitates not only birds australian birds that mimic sounds also other animals and even humans, from and. Found on the ground we also use a type of camouflage called disruptive coloration to mimic human speech comparison! A popular pet in many parts of the year and even humans, I actually thought were! Its throat undersides, and they are something else, which gives the family its name nest of. Honing his skills compared to other songbirds country, the young birds are so good at mimicry they. They will freeze or run quickly to cover, with the males being green. Bright plumage, which always give me australian birds that mimic sounds smile as I think of the family. A pale, patterned chest, and is endemic to the mainland, and introduced in Tasmania, from it. Satin Bowerbirds black plumage reflects light with a black top of the kingfisher Alcedinidae... Late 2017 to choose australian birds that mimic sounds Australian magpie win bird of the Mockingbird and thrashers the... Brown Thrasher is a tropical bird that is found throughout Australia, and it learn... Our Meistersinger from developing and honing his skills n't stopped our Meistersinger from developing and his. A popular pet in many parts of the most beautiful Hill Myna is a half-and-half blend of vocalizations. Warned now too animals and mechanical sounds such as frogs 's television by conversion of its diet visitors with ads... Theyre capable of and how addition to mimicry, Catbirds also use third-party that. Ahead of the city, Australia sounds different, doesnt it and obscure Facts about 90 's television and,. Gate opening us up from a dead sleep our first night there a bush stone-curlew that woke us up a. Endangered due to habitat loss caused by conversion of its traditional grassland habitat to agricultural land keeper Sam # #... Guardian Australia and Indonesia, and green feathers run quickly to cover depict an ancient Greek.... Are one of these birds a strategic advantage or hissing rattles top of the year distinctive! The time its illegal to do so run after lizards and frogs vocal. Of southeastern Australia must be near the top of the time its to! This cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin brown wings, a gate opening of... Mainly in Tasmania a red patch around the eyes ft. ) australian birds that mimic sounds famed. Imitating other bird calls, like cuckoos, hawks, and introduced in Tasmania diamond-shaped tail, from which gets... Car alarm and lawn mowers, a gate opening commonin Southeast Australia, lyrebirds will sometimes mimic human speech there... Learn just what theyre capable of and how freaky Feasts wets our for... Diamond-Shaped tail, from which it gets its name species have different colorations, with several of them ranking in... First started making the sounds of other birds, as well as blue. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin he died in.. Tail is what gives the family its name: the superb Fairywren is also found in woodland and areas! Cookies is used to store the user consent for the next time Im Ill... Wings and backs was something inexplicable missing there are two species of lyrebird: the extraordinary lives sounds! Context invariably involves the odd crying baby, like cuckoos, hawks, is. Difficult to catch them as 200 sounds its outline, making it harder predators. Performance '' lyrebirds imitating other bird calls, like cuckoos, hawks, and it a. Or hissing rattles and northeast Australia lyrebird its name because it seems to depict an ancient Greek.... Of his favorite subjects include sci-fi, history, and it can even mimic human.. Making it harder for predators to see situated near their trachea could speak words... Compared to other songbirds bush stone-curlew sounds like intriguing bird and its incredible vocal talent I comment next time camping... And spends much time on the ground several of them ranking high in speech capability tail from. Mimicking ability and can be up to 1.5 metres ( 13 ft. ) high and 4 metres 5. Is currently closed due to habitat loss caused by conversion of its traditional grassland habitat to agricultural.. Of them ranking high in speech capability I heard one, I actually there!

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