What is so special about the lyrebird?

Superb lyrebirds have been known to imitate car alarms, camera shutters, shooting from video games, workmen and chainsaws. Like a fine wine or a stinky cheese, the superb lyrebird’s calls even improve with age.

Why are they called lyrebirds?

The Superb Lyrebird has received its name from its tail feathers which look similar to a lyre (an ancient Greek musical instrument).

Are lyrebirds only in Australia?

Distribution and habitat The superb lyrebird is found in areas of rainforest in Victoria, New South Wales, and south-east Queensland. It is also found in Tasmania where it was introduced in the 19th century.

What are lyrebirds predators?

Superb lyrebirds are vulnerable to native predatory birds such as the collared sparrowhawk, gray goshawk, and currawongs. Nests are particularly vulnerable to predation, but adults are also vulnerable due to their loud calls.

Can a lyrebird fly?

In fact everything about them is large – body, tail, feet, eyes – even their famous voice is larger-than-life. Listen to this magnificent recording by Wild Ambience: A bird so large seems better to stay on the ground. So it comes as a surprise the first time you see them fly.

Is a lyrebird a peacock?

The Superb Lyrebird is a protected species of bird which looks similar to a peacock. Its most easily recognisable feature is its lacy plumed tail that fans out behind its body. The bird was named after this unusual tail; as it looks like an ancient Grecian musical instrument called the Lyre.

Are lyrebird endangered?

Not extinctLyrebird / Extinction status

What is a lyrebird scientific name?

MenuraLyrebird / Scientific name

What does a lyrebird eat?

Lyrebirds feed mainly on ground-dwelling insects, spiders, frogs, and other small invertebrates that they find by scratching among the leaf litter. They have powerful legs with long toes and claws, which are ideal for raking over dead leaves and soil.

What sounds can a lyrebird make?

And, yes, the bird does have its own sounds. Twanging, clicking, scissors-grinding, thudding, whirring, “blick”-ing, galloping — these noisy or metallic sounds are the lyrebirds’ own and not mimicry, says Hollis Taylor, a postdoc at the University of Technology in Sydney.

How many sounds can a lyrebird make?

Is a lyrebird a pheasant?

Lyrebirds were formerly thought to be related to pheasants or to the birds-of-paradise. They are now grouped in the suborder Passeri.

What is the size of a lyrebird?

Lyrebirds are large pheasant-sized birds. Male superb lyrebirds grow up to 39 in (99 cm) in length while the females grow up to 34 in (86 cm). Albert’s lyrebirds are smaller and the females grow around 30 in (75 cm) in length and males grow up to 35 in (90 cm).

How long can a lyrebird sing?

Like any good musician, the lyrebird uses these talents mainly for courtship, and during the peak of the breeding season, from June to August, males can be heard singing for up to four hours a day, incorporating the calls of other birds into their own “original” songs.

How did the lyrebird get its name?

What’s in a Name – Lyrebirds are named for the male superb lyrebird’s ornate tail configuration. The tail feathers, during courtship displays, have an appearance quite similar to an ancient Greek instrument, called a “lyre.” The two different species of lyrebirds are found in slightly different habitats.

Where do lyrebirds live?

The two different species of lyrebirds are found in slightly different habitats. Superb lyrebirds prefer living in dense rainforests, which helps protect them from predators. Rainforest provides the birds with plenty of cover, and hiding places when confronted by a hungry fox or quoll.