A guest recently attracted Chelsea Eckhart’s attention and her ear while she was relaxing on her Californian terrace. A tiny bird was lazily perched atop an overhanging cable.
According to Eckhart, she was speaking out a lot. I was delighted because I don’t often see birds stop on my balcony.
Eckhart probably wasn’t the intended listener of the bird’s little song at first, but the unexpected pairing gradually established themselves as a musical team.
During a brief pause in the bird’s chorus of chirps and tweets, Eckhart decided to start one anew herself. With a gentle hum, she sang back to the feathered visitor.
And, sure enough, she answered back — echoing her simple melody in time.
“It took a couple calls, but she did start to mimic what I was doing,” Eckhart said. “I was shocked when she was actually repeating me!”
It was an interspecies duet:
“Having a moment like that with a wild bird was incredibly awesome!” I heard Eckhart. Although I’ve always loved animals and worked in wildlife restoration, that was one of the few occasions I felt like I could communicate with a wild animal.
A few “verses” of the unmistakable call-and-response conversation were exchanged before the bird resumed singing her own song. Eckhart won’t soon forget it, though.
“Birds hold a special place in my heart, so I felt really lucky. It was a great reminder of just how connected all organisms on this planet truly are and we can feel that connection if we slow down every now and then,” she said. “I would love to duet with her again if she chooses to visit me!”
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