Most bird calls imitated-world record set
by Gautam Sapkota
HETAUDA , Nepal--Gautam Sapkota spends his time
imitating birds; he is able to mimic 151 different types of
birds-setting the world record for the most bird calls imitated.
Photo:
So
far, Gautam Sapkota has visited more than 6,500 schools
in 45 districts of Nepal, interacting, entertaining and educating
the kids about birds, their habitats, their ways of life and
their calls.
Photo by Sanjib K. Chaudhary
(enlarge photo)
He follows birds in national parks, forests,
nearby gardens and the central zoo in Kathmandu and spends
his time imitating their sounds -- the way the birds communicate
with each other in different situations.
To entertain students better he has composed
songs in different bird voices. An album of popular Nepali
folk songs remixed in the voice of different birds (particularly
the heron's voice) is on the offing.
When asked what inspired him to take up this
hobby, he says, "When I was a little kid, I wondered how people
imitated animals. … When I grew up, I realized that I could
mimic a lot of different sounds, so I started my journey and
the beautiful birds became my friends."
He can also imitate other animals. Following
and studying the monkeys of Swayambhunath stupa and Pashupatinath
temple in Kathmandu, he has learned their sounds, too. He
can initiate a brawl between two or more monkeys.