The fact that the magpies included in this study seemed to mimic only sounds that were relevant and within their own territory suggests something about vocal learning in sedentaryspecies. It is perhaps not so much a matter of the size of the repertoire as was argued before, but of social organisation (although the two are also often interlinked). A bird with a complex social organisation, as has themagpie ,may require a map of its territory that is recorded not only visually but in an auditoryfashion.This study found that mimicry in Gymnorhinatibicen is used exclusively for sound features belonging to inhabitants in the bird's own territory, as distinct from visitors to that territory.