Bananas for Scale
Superb Lyrebird

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Superb Lyrebird

A bird that can mimic chainsaws, camera shutters, and car alarms/Small Animals

The superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) of southeastern Australia is one of the world's greatest vocal mimics, capable of imitating the calls of at least 20 other bird species as well as mechanical sounds like chainsaws, camera shutters, and rifle shots. Males reach about 1 meter in total length, including a spectacular lyre-shaped tail of 16 modified feathers used in courtship displays. During mating season, males create cleared display mounds on the forest floor and perform elaborate dances while singing.

Measurements

Total length (male)1 m
4.9 tenthsDoor heights
5.2 thousandthsGateway Arch heights
8.3 tenthsSki pole lengths
Tail length5.5 tenths m
917 millionAspirin molecules
3.67Hot dogs
2.7 tenthsKing size beds
Body mass1.1 kg
2.4 thousandthsMoose
75.9 millionthsSchool buses
Display mound diameter1 m
588 trillionProton diameters
2 tenthsBamboo pole lengths
6.67Ice cream cones
Modified tail feathers16 feathers
8Pairs of socks
7.8 hundredthsHuman skeletons
5 tenthsAdult teeth sets
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