The male superb lyrebird is a bird species characterized by its ornate and eye-catching tail, adored with curved feathers, similar to the shape of a lyre. However, these pretty animals hold more intelligence than meets the eye. The lyrebird is found in mainland Australia and southern Tasmania. They tend to roost around trees in moist forests, similar to many other bird species. Regarding communication, the lyrebird displays its outstanding quality of mimicry. The male lyrebird is widely regarded as one of the most superior Passerines, or songbirds. The wide array of sounds that this bird can make is thanks to its vocal organ, called the syrinx. Biologists have found that the syrinx of the superb lyrebird is incredibly special, allowing it to produce a melody of sounds.
The ability to mimic is found in both male and female lyrebirds; however, only males can produce complex vocalizations. Because of this, male lyrebirds frequently use their unique capabilities to mate with females. Often, male lyrebirds will participate in a courtship ritual consisting of a variety of noises based on mimicries. The capacity of their syrinxes allows them to imitate noises from the calls of other animals to other sounds heard on the mainland. In some cases, lyrebirds have been reported to mimic the sounds of man-made noises as well, such as car alarms.
So how are such complicated and specific sounds imitated by the lyrebird? The answer can be found within the unique structure of their syrinxes. Unlike other passerines, this bird’s vocal organ only has three pairs of muscles, making their level of mimicry skill impressive.
The syrinx of a bird is comparable to the human larynx; both of which are commonly referred to as voiceboxes. They function in tandem with a bird’s bronchial tubes. As birds breathe in, air flows through their trachea, or windpipe, and carries it down to the lungs. This pathway of air is known as the bronchial tubes. Before the tubes split between the two lungs, the syrinx acts as a divider between the rest of the windpipe and the lungs.
The inner structure of this vocal organ is double-barrelled, so it has two halves. Each mirrors the other. With a breath, air is moved along the bronchial tubes and through the syrinx, where noise is created from the acoustic disturbance between the two barrels. Another function found in the bronchial tubes is that of the tympanum, which is a membrane layer that separates the sections of the ear. When air contacts the tympanum vibrates, causing sound to be created.
In an evolutionary sense, the lyrebird’s ability to create beautiful sounds has caused a pattern of natural selection as well. Lyrebirds with more durable characteristics, such as strong feet or long claws, are more likely to survive than more delicate birds. Its other traits, such as intricate feathers or impressive calling skills, have allowed male lyrebirds to mate more frequently and with more success.
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I wonder why the lyrebird has mimicry so advanced that it can imitate car alarms?