Superb Lyrebird
Menura novaehollandiae
- Family
- Lyrebirds (Menuridae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Best months to see it
- JanJanuary: Poor or no data
- FebFebruary: Poor or no data
- MarMarch: Poor or no data
- AprApril: Poor or no data
- MayMay: Poor or no data
- JunJune: Best
- JulJuly: Best
- AugAugust: Best
- SepSeptember: Poor or no data
- OctOctober: Poor or no data
- NovNovember: Poor or no data
- DecDecember: Poor or no data
BestGoodFair
Overview
The superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) is an Australian passerine songbird, one of two species from the family Menuridae, with the other being the much rarer Albert's lyrebird. One of the world's largest songbirds, the superb lyrebird is renowned for its elaborate tail and courtship displays, and for its excellent mimicry. The species is endemic to Australia and is found in forest in the southeast of the country. According to David Attenborough, the superb lyrebird displays one of the most sophisticated voice skills within the animal kingdom—"the most elaborate, the most complex, and the most beautiful".
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Invertebrates from leaf litter.
How to identify it
- Pheasant-sized brown songbird
- Male has a lyre-shaped tail of lacy plumes
- Scratches the forest floor for food
Voice
Brilliant mimic of other birds and even human-made sounds; males sing most in winter.
Where to see it
- Dandenong Ranges, Victoria
- Blue Mountains, New South Wales
Similar species
- Albert's Lyrebird
- more rufous; Queensland–New South Wales border only
Range and habitat
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Superb lyrebird
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
