Alaska festival's bird calling competition brings out avian imitators

May 16 (UPI) -- Shorebird enthusiasts shared their best imitations of seagulls, sandhill cranes and other avians at an Alaska festival's bird calling contest.

The Homer Brewing Company Bird Calling Competition, part of the annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, involved participants of all ages showing off their best imitations of a wide variety of locally well-known birds.

Penny Gage of Anchorage took home one of the contest's top prizes for her eagle call.

"I practiced that call in Sitka working on a tour boat in the summer, and I'm really glad to see it come into use today," she told KBBI Alaska Public Media. "And I love the shorebird festival, and I love migratory birds, and I'm really happy to be here!"

Marina Steffy, 17, who wowed the crowd with her seagull impression, was also named a winner after showing off several of her best imitations.

"I did the gray jay, I did a raven, and then I did the seagull, which is a pretty easy one. And then I did a magpie," she said.