Lifeboat Foundation

We are not alone 🎶🌐🎶 “Birds as keepers of human history… Read the full story and listen to lyrebirds mimicking the sound of everything from cameras clicking to chainsaws revving”👇

Birds as keepers of human history… Read the full story and listen to lyrebirds mimicking the sound of everything from cameras clicking to chainsaws revving👇

Have you ever heard a bird singing a melody that sounds suspiciously like a human tune? Well, that’s not as far-fetched as it seems.

Deep in the forests of southeastern Australia lives one of nature’s greatest vocal impressionists – the superb lyrebird. This pheasant-sized songbird is renowned for its breathtaking ability to mimic sounds from its environment with uncanny accuracy. From the cackling laughter of kookaburras to the strident whip-crack calls of other birds, the lyrebird can recreate these sounds so perfectly that even the original species is fooled.

But the lyrebird’s repertoire extends far beyond just imitating its feathered neighbors. These avian virtuosos can also mimic man-made sounds like cameras clicking, chainsaws revving, fire alarms blaring, and even human voices and music. Up to 80% of a male lyrebird’s rich, complex song consists of meticulously learned mimicry woven together. An individual bird may accurately reproduce the calls of over 20 different species.