Suberb Lyrebird from Australia is one of the world's best mimics.

The famous BBC series with David Attenborough has brought forward a number of contestants for the “1000 birds to see before you die” project. I think most of the will qualify when I get the final list out by the end of this week or early next week.

Superb Lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae

The Superb Lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae is one of  the best mimic in the world. It imitates the birds around it, but also camera shutters and car alarms. The male clears an area in the forest and makes this its display ground.  Another species is Albert’s Lyrebird Menura albert, which occurs much more localized only in Southern Queensland.

Where to see Superb Lyrebird.

The Superb Lyrebird occurs in rain forest in in Victoria, New South Wales and south-east Queensland, as well as in Tasmania where it was introduced in the 19th century. It is not too difficult to see. Locally, the display sites are well known. Display occures between April and September.

For more information see this great article.

Please let me know any link all of a sudden does not work.  Superb Lyretail photo Rick Ryan under Creative Commons license. All photos made by Gunnar Engblom on this blog may be used under Creative Commons license as long as they are attributed the original article with a link.

Related 1000 birds posts:

• Red-capped Manakin
  
• 1000 birds to see before you die – the book project.

Red-capped Manakin is famous as the bird that dances as Michael Jackson. I can moonwalk.

Some of you may have heard of my book project “1000 birds to see before you die“. If not click the link. In any case, the project is slowly running along. We are still working with the database and the lists to choose the 1000 birds that will be featured in the book.  Some birds are just given. So without further a due, I give to you a new daily blog series. I may be very random these birds come up.  But one by one – one every day – the 1000 birds will be presented. This means it will take about 3 years to finish the series. And this is also a good deadline for the book. 3 years. First one out is the

Red-capped Manakin Pipra mentalis

This is partly a tribute to Michael Jackson. Here is the bird that does the moonwalk. There are four Manakin species with red heads and black body, but the Red-capped Manakin has the coolest display.

Where to see Red-capped Manakin.

It is distributed from the Yucatan in Mexico to west Ecuador.  Many lodges in Central America have lek-sites staked out, where the moonwalk can be seen.

Please let me know any  link all of a sudden does not work. Red-capped Manakin photo Jorge Montejo under Creative Commons license. All photos made by Gunnar Engblom on this blog may be used under Creative Commons license for as long as they are attributed the original article with a link.