For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails
A magpie has been caught on camera mimicking the sound of a siren after hearing “so many fire trucks” as wildfires continue to grip Australia 's east coast.
Gregory Andrews filmed the black and white bird’s novel trick in Newcastle, New South Wales , on Boxing Day.
He shared the footage on Facebook, commenting: “This is one of the coolest things ever.
“Today I met an Australian magpie in Newcastle NSW which had learned to sing the calls of fire-engines and ambulances.”
Copacabana Rural Fire Brigade said the bird appeared to have picked up the sound because “there have been so many emergency vehicles driving through bushfire-affected towns of New South Wales”.
Show all 40 1 /40Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighter hosing down trees and flying embers in an effort to secure nearby houses from bushfires near the town of Nowra in the state of New South Wales on 31 December 2019
AFP via Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke billows from a huge bushfire that has torched over 200,000 acres of land in East Gipplsand, Victoria on 2 January
EPA
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Residents look on as flames tear through bushland in Lake Tabouriee, Australia on 4 January on 4 January
Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage behind Lake Conjola on 2 January
Robert Oerlemans via AP
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighting helicopter tackles a bushfire in East Gippsland, Victoria on 31 December
EPA
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighter gives water to a parched koala in Cudlee Creek, South Australia
AP
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters tackle a blaze as it tears through a farm in New South Wales on 21 December
AP
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The sky is turned red over East Gippsland as fires continue to rage through Australian bushland on 4 January
Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A kangaroo near bushfires in Nowra
AFP/Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures An aerial view of a bushfire near Bairnsdale
State Government of Victoria/EPA
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters work to tackle a blaze on the outskirts of Sydney on 31 December 2019
Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighting helicopter dumps water on a bushfire on the outskirts of the town of Bargo near Sydney
Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Children play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires
AFP via Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A satellite image of the Batemans Bay showing smoke and fire from wild bushfires
European Union, Copernicus Sentinel Data via REUTERS
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The afternoon sky glows red from bushfires in Nowra
AFP/Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Burning embers cover the ground as firefighters battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra
AFP via Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The sky glows red as bushfires continue to rage in Mallacoota, Victoria
Jonty Smith via Reuters
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The remains of burnt out buildings along a main street in the New South Wales town of Cobargo
AFP/Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters try to protect homes around Charmhaven, New South Wales
NSW Rural Fire Service/AP
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale
Glen Morey via AP
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Business owners stand in front of their shop which was destroyed by a bushfire in Cobargo
EPA
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A helicopter dumping water on a fire in Victoria's East Gippsland region
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning/AFP
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Nowra
AFP via Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Think smoke from bushfires fills the air in eastern Gippsland
Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures "Carmelised" snow caused by dust from Australian bushfires is seen near Franz Josef glacier in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, New Zealand
Reuters
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra
AFP via Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland, Victoria. More than 800,000 hectares have been burnt in East Gippsland
EPA/DELWP Gippsland
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland
EPA/DELWP Gippsland
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures
LIFES.A.BREEZE via Reuters
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Smoke and wildfire rage behind Lake Conjola
Robert Oerlemans via AP
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A house and van are seen destroyed after bushfires ravaged the town of Bilpin, west of Sydney
AFP via Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A helicopter fighting a bushfire near Bairnsdale in Victoria's East Gippsland region
State Government of Victoria/AFP
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Fire and Rescue personal run to move their truck as a bushfire burns next to a major road and homes on the outskirts of the town of Bilpin
Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Amy, left, and Ben Spencer sit at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires
AFP via Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures A firefighter sprays foam retardant on a back burn ahead of a fire front in the New South Wales town of Jerrawangala
AFP via Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Two bushfires approach a home located on the outskirts of the town of Bargo
Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Property damaged by the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield, Victoria
EPA
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Nowra
AFP via Getty
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures Property under threat from the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield
EPA
Devastating wildfires rage across Australia: In pictures The main street of the New South Wales town of Bombala is pictured shrouded in smoke from nearby bushfires
AFP via Getty
Alexander Verbeek, from the Institute for Planetary Security, in Stockholm, suggested the video illustrated the effects of man-made climate change.
He posted on Twitter: “My first tweet in the third decade of the third millennium illustrates best the sad state of our plane.
“An Australian magpie has been hearing so many fire trucks that he has started to copy the sirens. Yes, our house is on fire!”
On Thursday thousands of tourists fled Australia’s eastern coast as worsening conditions, fuelled by high temperatures and strong winds, are predicted over the weekend.
In New South Wales, 381 homes have been destroyed just this week and 18 people have died since the fires began burning in September.
Additional reporting by Press Association.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies