Lyrebirds

I've been meaning to take a walk in the hills behind my home in Kiama ever since I moved back here. When I lived here ten years ago, I was in the habit of walking up there every week with my dog, Digger. There's still a good amount of remnant rainforest there and it's a pleasure to see and hear the profusion of wildlife hidden away in the hills.

I was delighted to return last week and see four different lyrebirds (pictured left). It must be mating season, because they were dancing on their dirt mounds, singing with tails in full display. Lyrebirds are amazing. You can hear them well before you see them, and their call is distinctive simply because it's not theirs. They borrow their calls from other birds, and even from man-made things. I heard one switch from a magpie to a kookaburra to a whip bird and then a bell bird. Every now and then they quit mimicking and start making a chuck chuck sound. They're spectacular to listen to, mostly because their calls are so clear and so loud, and you get so much variety. I've never heard it, but lyrebirds also mimic other sounds, like chainsaws, phones, camera shutters etc. The males do it to show off to females. The more complex their song, or combination of bird calls, the better. Watch this great video that demonstrates their call...