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Animal profile

Superb Lyrebird

Menura novaehollandiae

AvesWet sclerophyll forest and temperate rainforest with deep leaf litterLeast Concern

Field profile

The superb lyrebird is a large, ground-dwelling Australian songbird with a long, elaborately structured tail in the male. It forages by raking forest litter with powerful feet. Its song combines its own species-specific elements with extremely accurate imitations of other forest birds.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-01-09

Superb Lyrebird

Lyrebird chainsaw mimicry is far rarer than reported

Superb lyrebirds are outstanding mimics, but the mechanical sounds that made them famous come almost entirely from captive individuals. Wild lyrebirds overwhelmingly imitate other forest birds, and documented wild chainsaw imitation is vanishingly rare.

Read with evidence →

Superb Lyrebird | Daily Animal Facts