Lyre tails
| Lyre tails | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gray-backed lyre-tail ( Menura novaehollandiae ) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the family | ||||||||||||
| Menuridae | ||||||||||||
| Lesson , 1828 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Menura | ||||||||||||
| Latham , 1802 |
The lyre tails ( Menura ) form a genus in the family of the same name of the lyre tails (Menuridae) within the order of the passerine birds (Passeriformes). The genus includes two types. Both species live in the mountain forests of Southeast Australia . In Tasmania the gray-backed lyre-tail ( Menura novaehollandiae ) was introduced. Both sexes have brown to gray plumage. The long tail feathers of the male lyre tails gave their name. They consist of two strong feathers up to 55 centimeters long, between which there are several finer, thread-shaped feathers.
The birds spend a large part of the time hopping on the forest floor and scratching with their powerful feet and sharp claws for insects , larvae and other invertebrates. To sleep they look for a higher branch.
Reproduction
Before mating occurs, the male digs up a mound of soft earth or looks for a higher place. It mates around on the mound of earth or in a raised place in front of the female with its tail folded out over its head, prances and sings with a loud, far-reaching voice. The singing is unusually varied and belongs to the most complex that the bird world has to offer. The nest, made of brushwood and plant fibers, is built on the ground, on a ledge, on branch forks or tree stumps, among other things. An egg the size of a hen's egg is laid in the nest, which the female hatches over a period of six weeks. Only the female takes care of building the nest and raising the young.
imitation
The lyre's “singing” is a mixture of his own repertoire, given at birth, and almost every other sound he has ever heard. The syrinx (the vocal organ of birds) is the most pronounced of all songbirds (passeri), which means that the lyre-tail has an unmatched potential for imitating noises of any kind. The lyre-tail thus easily mimics the individual song of other birds; But other animals (for example the barking of dogs), human voices, machines of all kinds and explosions as well as musical instruments can find their place in the lyre's repertoire. Sometimes a lyre tail imitates chainsaws, motors, alarms, rifle shots, camera shutter clicks, or similar noises.
Lyre tails are very shy and one often only notices their presence by the fact that various bird songs seem to come from one and the same place.
Just like the male lyre-tail, the female specimen is also masterly at imitating noises. However, due to her secretive nature, she is less perceived than her male conspecific.
species
-
Menura
- Gray-backed lyre-tail or splendid lyre-tail ( M. novaehollandiae Latham , 1802)
- Brown-backed lyre-tail or black lyre-tail ( M. alberti Bonaparte , 1850)
literature
- Joseph Forshaw (Ed.): Encyclopedia of Birds. Bechtermünz, 1999, ISBN 3-8289-1557-4 .
- Ambrose GH Pratt : Menura: Magnificent bird lyre-tail. Friedenauer Presse, Berlin 2011, ISBN 978-3-932109-69-0 .
Web links
- Video: Attenborough: the amazing Lyre Bird sings like a chainsaw! Now in high quality - BBC Earth
- Video: Lyrebird: The Best Songbird Ever!
Individual evidence
- ↑ David Attenborough: Amazing! Bird sounds from the lyre bird in " BBC wildlife", published on February 12, 2007