- Albert's Lyrebird
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Albert's Lyrebird Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Menuridae Genus: Menura Species: M. alberti Binomial name Menura alberti
Bonaparte, 1850The Albert's Lyrebird (Menura alberti) is a pheasant-sized songbird, approximately 90cm long, with brown upper body plumage and rich chestnut below. It is very similar with the Superb Lyrebird in its habits. This bird also mimics other species sounds.
The rarer of the two species of lyrebirds, the Albert's Lyrebird lacks the elegant lyre-shaped tail feathers of the Superb Lyrebird. It also builds platforms by trampling down dense vegetation for courtship display instead of scratch up mounds. The diet consists mainly of insects found on forest floor and from rotting logs.
Named after Prince Albert, the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Albert's Lyrebird is inhabiting and endemic to subtropical rainforests of Australia, in a small area on the state border between New South Wales and Queensland.
References
- BirdLife International (2009). "Menura alberti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/146066. Retrieved 1 April 2010. Database entry includes justification for why this species is near threatened
External links
- ARKive - images and movies of the Albert's Lyrebird (Menura alberti)
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- Albert's Lyrebird conservation project - Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
- Albert's Lyrebird videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
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