Living Nature

[DRAFT-REAL] Superb Lyrebird

The Superb Lyrebird — master mimic of the Upper Yarra forests, copying kookaburras, camera shutters, even chainsaws. Listen on cool autumn mornings.

Menura novaehollandiae

The Superb Lyrebird is best known for its ability to mimic almost any sound it hears, from kookaburras to camera shutters. Males perform elaborate courtship displays on cleared mounds, fanning their tail feathers into the lyre shape that gives them their name.

Look for them in damp, fern-rich forest gullies, especially in the cooler months when they’re most vocal. Walk quietly and listen.

Where to see it