JUNIOR RaNGERS www.juniorrangers.com.au JR FACT FILE SUPERB LYREBIRD Menura novaehollandiae AT A GLANCE singing birds, and is remembered for Where Does a Superb its song. Lyrebird Live? Size: The lyrebird combines its own song, Lyrebirds are commonly found in wet Roughly the size of a rooster with a with an extraordinary ability to mimic forests and woodlands in the south long lacy plumed tail. natural and artificial sounds from eastern mainland Australia and What It Eats: their environment. They commonly southern Tasmania. They roost in mimic anything from another species trees at night and spend most of the Worms, spiders, beetles, insects and of bird or animal to objects such as day sifting through fallen leaves, occasionally seeds. chainsaws, car engines, rifle-shots decaying logs and debris in search Life Span: and crying babies! of food. Lives for approximately fifteen years. Both male and female are similar What Does a Superb with brown feathers on the upper Lyrebird Eat? Habitat: part of their body, lighter brown A lyrebird’s diet is the same all year Wet forests and woodlands of south below and redbrown throat round. Their long beaks catch eastern Australia. markings. The tail feathers are dark worms, spiders, beetles, and insects brown above and silver grey below. Threats: and they occasionally include seeds Whilst the female’s tails reach 75-85 in their diet. Larger birds, cats, foxes and centimetres in length, the males tail humans. A Superb Lyrebird ‘s Family Life: reach 80-98 cm in length. What Is a Superb Lyrebird? Breeding for lyrebirds occurs from Unlike the emu, the lyrebird can fly, May to September. The male secures The Superb Lyrebird is a protected although it rarely does as they can a territory and attracts potential species of bird which looks similar to run quite quickly to avoid most mates by raising his tail above his a peacock. Its most easily dangers encountered. head. He dances for her on one of recognisable feature is its lacy Did you know, most Australians the several mounds of earth he has plumed tail that fans out behind its commonly carry an image of the scraped together beforehand and body. The bird was named after this lyrebird with them, featured on the sings, imitating sounds of the forest unusual tail; as it looks like an Australian 10 cent coin! as he dances. The male will mate ancient Grecian musical instrument with several females. called the Lyre. The female builds a dome-shaped nest With a small head, long neck and on the ground, on a ledge of rock or a legs the lyrebird is the largest of the cavity on top of a tall stump. RAN OR G I E N R U S J P A A I R R K O S V I C T JUNIOR RaNGERS www.juniorrangers.com.au SUPERB LYREBIRD Menura novaehollandiae FASCINATING FACTS: She makes a frame of sticks and a soft lining of fern roots and feathers - THE LYREBIRD HAS AN into which she lays a single purplish EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY brown egg. The egg takes TO MIMIC NATURAL approximately 6 weeks to hatch, after which the young Lyrebird stays AND ARTIFICIAL SOUNDS. in the nest for a further six weeks - SPECTACULAR and then remains with its parents COURTSHIP DISPLAYS. for 3-4 years. The lyrebird is a timid, shy and solitary - APPEARS ON THE AUSTRALIAN bird. It is more often heard than seen. 10 CENT COIN. When seen, it is usually alone, occasionally in pairs or small parties. Although once seriously threatened by habitat destruction, the Superb Lyrebird is classified as common. However, they are vulnerable to cats and foxes and it remains to be seen if habitat protection programs such as a nature reserves, national parks and land for wildlife programs will stand up to increasing human population pressure. Where to find a Lyrebird in Victoria? Lyrebirds live in many parks throughout Victoria including in the Dandenong Ranges and Morwell National Parks. Visit www.parkweb. vic.gov.au for more information on tracks and maps. Want to Know More? www.parkweb.vic.gov.au www.austmus.gov.au/factsheets/ superb_lyrebird.htm www.zoo.org.au/ RAN OR G I E N R U S J P A A I R R K O S V I C T.