It’s not unusual for a wide variety of species in the animal world to imitate human actions and gestures. However, one bird in an Australian zoo seems to be in a different league, having picked up one of the most terrifying sounds — the wailing of a child. Now, a video of the birdcall has taken social media by storm, with many freaking out over how accurately it resembles the cry of a human child.

Even though Taronga Zoo has been closed to guests owing to Covid-induced lockdown, zoo-keepers recently heard a loud screaming sound, only to realise it came from their resident lyrebird, called Echo. True to its name, the zoo authorities mentioned, that the bird has “AMAZING ability to replicate a variety of calls – including a baby’s cry!”

The seven-year-old male lyrebird’s ear-splitting impersonation not just caught the attention of the zoo authorities but also got netizens talking online, with the clip going viral across social media sites.

Lyrebirds are incredible mimics, and have been known to imitate the sounds of chainsaws, car engines, car alarms, dogs barking, music, ringtones and the human voice, 9 News reported.

Leanne Golebiowski, unit supervisor of birds at the zoo, told The Guardian that Echo started using snippets of the stirring sound a year ago but has been “working on his craft” during the Covid lockdown in Sydney.

Although zoo authorities are not sure where Echo picked up the noise, Golebiowski assumed the talented avian must have learnt it from some young visitor. “But this concerns me, as I thought the zoo was a happy place for families to visit!” Golebiowski said.

And they have right to be concerned as Echo has picked other not-so-pleasant sounds as well, including the zoo’s “evacuate now” announcement. Saying that it has mastered the sound of a power drill “which is scarily accurate”, the staff added it can even nail the fire alarm.

As the video went viral, it left many confused, with many social media users saying it must have been a very “terrifying experience for the zookeeper”. Others, however, couldn’t stop cracking jokes appreciating the bird’s ability to imitate the sound so perfectly.

Imagine this bird replicates the T. rex roar from Jurassic Park. Dinosaurs couldn’t roar like that, but could you imagine the people’s reactions 😂 That’s right humans. I’m a dinosaur! 🦖 https://t.co/f8cANiPmET

Holy shit, that’s well done by that lyrebird. Right on par with Attenborough’s recorded specimen. Disturbing too if one imagines the same ability in a sci-fi predator luring dinner. https://t.co/AfTEbGNIeL

— Kevin Leroux – Vaxed, baybee! (@LeKevbo) September 4, 2021

imagine working the night shift and hearing this https://t.co/O8CFBJ7Pom

LMAOOOO nature is too funny https://t.co/TYid6ly0z9

This is both incredibly cool and creepy as all hell https://t.co/LawFqKn7gg

— Kemhariya Enthusiast (ArtisticAnkylosaur/Tim) (@TimVersteeg4) September 3, 2021

This is the worst thing I’ve ever heard in my life

Echo is an amazing lyrebird to be able to pick up on a baby’s cry!! I would think it really is a baby crying. Echo has the pitch down to a tee. I would like to see more of Echo please.

Don’t ever let him scape to the wild!! That’s scary-amazing! 😱

this is some real horror movie potential right here

That poor zoo keeper that has to listen to both children crying all day and now the lyrebird too! 🤣

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