7 surprising facts about the bird that can mimic almost anything

In today’s digital age, we’re constantly hearing artificial sounds– like phone ringtones, camera clicks, or car alarms. But here’s something surprising: there’s a bird in Australia that can copy all of these sounds naturally. It’s called the superb lyrebird, and it's one of nature’s most skilled mimics.

This shy forest bird doesn’t just repeat sounds– it listens carefully, remembers them, and then recreates them so accurately that it often confuses both people and animals. From the way it builds its nest to its beautiful tail and unique habits, the superb lyrebird is full of surprises. Here are some surprising facts about them.

The superb lyrebird is most famous for its voice. What sets it apart from other birds is its amazing ability to copy sounds, not just calls of other birds, but even man-made noises. It can imitate car alarms, camera clicks, and even the sound of mobile ringtones. And the older it gets, the better it becomes at mimicking. In fact, older male lyrebirds are usually the most talented, especially during the mating season when they use their impressive vocal skills to catch the attention of potential mates.

When it comes to raising chicks, the female superb lyrebird does it all. It builds the nest on its own– usually a covered structure made of sticks, feathers, moss, and roots. These nests are often placed on the ground or in sheltered spots like hollow tree stumps or between rocks. It lays just one egg and stays with the chick, taking care of it until it’s ready to leave the nest, which usually takes a few weeks.

The superb lyrebird gets its name from the shape of the male’s tail, which looks like a lyre– a musical instrument from ancient times. During the mating season, the male puts on quite a show. It raises its tail and shows off a mix of movements and sounds to impress the female. This display includes various copied calls, all timed so perfectly that it often surprises those watching.

In the case of superb lyrebirds, one male may mate with several females during a breeding season. But after that, it’s the female who takes on all the responsibility. From building the nest to raising the chick, it does it all on its own. Meanwhile, the male focuses on singing and displaying, leaving the parenting entirely to the female.

Superb lyrebirds aren’t great flyers and prefer staying on the ground most of the time. Their strong legs and claws are built for digging through leaves and soil as they search for food like insects, spiders, and even small frogs. While foraging, they also help break down forest debris, which plays a small but important role in keeping the forest floor healthy.

There’s another type of lyrebird known as Albert’s lyrebird. It’s smaller in size, has darker feathers, and doesn’t have the impressive tail like the superb lyrebird. This bird is found only in a few forested areas of South East Queensland and northern New South Wales. Although it's not as well-known, it's still a skilled mimic.

Despite its incredible abilities, the superb lyrebird faces several threats. Deforestation, logging, attacks by foxes and domestic pets, and road accidents all put its survival at risk. According to a report presented by WWF Australia, during the 2019–20 bushfires, some lyrebirds managed to survive by staying in parts of the forest that weren’t burned. But the danger hasn’t gone away. These birds still need protection and safe habitats to continue thriving in the wild.