# Superb Lyrebird (*Menura novaehollandiae*)

> The superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) is a ground-dwelling Australian songbird whose males build mound stages and mimic chainsaws, camera shutters, and dozens of other birds. Adults weigh about 1 kg, scratch for insects in wet forests of Victoria and New South Wales, and are listed Least Concern.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Wet forests of southeastern Australia including Victoria and New South Wales.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/superb-lyrebird/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Passeriformes
- **Family:** Menuridae
- **Genus:** Menura

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Menura novaehollandiae |
| Diet | Insectivore |
| Habitat | Temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest |
| Lifespan | Around 15 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 1 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 20 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Lyre tail and virtuoso mimic

Males raise ornate tail feathers into a lyre-shaped canopy over the head while singing. Repertoires include accurate copies of whipbirds, laughing kookaburras, and human-made sounds heard in their territory.

## Forest-floor invertebrate scratcher

Powerful legs rake leaf litter for insects, spiders, worms, and millipedes. They rarely take plant food as a staple. Across its range it is tied to temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## Southeast Australian wet forests

Temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest of southeastern Australia, especially Victoria and New South Wales; introduced to Tasmania. Across its range it is tied to temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## Fire and foxes

Least Concern across a still-substantial range, but intense bushfires and fox predation on nests can hit local numbers hard. Across its range it is tied to temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can lyrebirds really mimic chainsaws?

Yes — males in logged forests have been recorded copying chainsaws, car alarms, and other mechanical noises along with bird songs.

### Why do male lyrebirds build mounds?

Display arenas where they sing and dance to attract females.

### Do female lyrebirds mimic too?

Females sing less elaborately; the spectacular mimicry displays are mainly male courtship behaviour.

### What do superb lyrebirds eat?

Insects and other invertebrates scratched from the forest floor.

### Where do superb lyrebirds live?

Wet forests of southeastern Australia, including Victoria and New South Wales.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/superb-lyrebird/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.