Chirps, whistles, and calls: whoever imitates birds best wins.

Milan, September 12 (askanews) – Some whistle, some chirp, some utter sounds that are decidedly difficult to describe. In Warsaw, however, it's not a competition of oddities: these are the Polish Bird Song Imitation Championships. On stage, the contestants attempt to reproduce the calls, trills, and vocalizations of local species, before an audience and judges. And this year's winner was Irena Rosiewicz. Behind the fun aspect, the initiative also aims to rekindle attention on urban biodiversity and a sound heritage that, especially in cities, risks becoming increasingly unfamiliar. "People are curious about birds and ecology," says one of the organizers, emphasizing how events like this can help them better understand species and calls that often go unnoticed. The public response seems to prove him right: what until recently was a niche event is attracting more and more curious people. And when asked what the biggest problem is for birds in Warsaw, one of the participants' answer is as blunt as it is unreassuring: "People."