***Sorry for yet another e-mail, but thought this was interesting.***

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- The electronic tweeting of mobile phones is so
widespread that some Australian birds are mimicking the sound as part of their
mating and territorial songs, a bird expert says.

Australia has six so-called mimic birds which commonly imitate sounds in nature,
particularly other bird calls, as part of their mating and territorial displays.

Australia has one of the highest rates of mobile phone use.

Common Australian mimic birds are increasingly hearing the ringing of mobile
phones in rural areas, Queensland Museum bird expert Greg Czechura said Tuesday.

"It's the males that are largely doing it. It means there is a male that is up
to date, on the ball and has the latest sounds," he said.

Australia's lyre bird, considered the world's greatest mimic, also imitates the
click and whir of cameras, the buzz of chain saws and the roar of motorcycles.

Copyright 2001 The Associated Press.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/science/06/12/birds.cellphones.ap/index.html