Fauna
Bird

Superb Lyrebird

Menura novaehollandiae

Also known as Lyrebird, Superb Pheasant

Superb lyrebirds are master mimics of the forest floor, capable of reproducing complex environmental sounds and the songs of dozens of other bird species with astonishing accuracy. During winter breeding, males construct low circular earthen mounds where they fling their magnificent, filamentary tail feathers forward over their heads while performing resonant vocal concerts to woo passing females. As tireless ecosystem engineers, they turn over metric tons of leaf litter and topsoil each year with their massive, muscular feet while foraging for hidden invertebrates.

MimicForest DwellerGround Forager
Superb Lyrebird reference1 / 7
(c) Sockrosma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyEarthworms, Beetle Larvae, Forest Spiders
Predators
  • Red Fox
  • Feral Cat
  • Powerful Owl
ThreatsPredation by invasive foxes and feral cats, intense bushfires, and habitat fragmentation
HabitatsTemperate rainforests, moist eucalypt woodlands, and wet sclerophyll gullies
Life spanUp to 30 years in the wild
Classification
  1. FamilyMenuridae
  2. SpeciesMenura novaehollandiae
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Listening: Follow intricate song sequences that rapidly shift between multiple bird voices to locate a displaying male.
  • Footwear: Watch for churned damp soil and scattered leaf litter across gullies to find fresh feeding tracks.
  • Distance: Remain motionless behind low vegetation near display mounds to avoid spooking birds mid-performance.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…