Australian Bird Caught Copying Sounds Of Fire Engines

He's been surrounded by so many sirens 💔

Devastating wildfires continue to blaze throughout much of Australia, as brave first responders put their lives on the line to save humans and wildlife alike.

But even among animals lucky to have escaped the inferno on their own, that heroic effort has not gone unnoticed.

The other day, Gregory Andrews was out in the city of Newcastle when an all too familiar sound struck his ears — the wailing of a fire engine siren. Though he might have assumed it was a truck rushing to battle a nearby blaze, that was actually not the case.

Turns out, the siren was coming from a magpie — Australian birds well-known for mimicking songs and sounds heard in their environment. 

Here’s that moment on video:

Fascinating as this behavior is, in this case it’s also bittersweet.

The need for sirens has sadly been so constant in recent weeks, due to the fires, that the magpie has adopted the call as his own. However, that strange song can also be seen as an homage of sorts to first responders — a hopeful sound signaling that help is on the way for those who need it most.