World's Weirdest: Bird Mimics Chainsaw, Car Alarm and More
This songbird breaks out the sampler to get a mate. And the superb lyrebird doesn't stop at mimicking other bird species — man-made noises just become part of the remix.
Transcript
Every rock star has their groupies.
But when the male superb lyrebird takes the stage, he gives new definition to the term "siren song."
Like many birds, his voice is a prime way to woo the ladies.
Those flashy 28-inch-long tail feathers don't hurt either.
But to lure the females in close enough to admire his pretty plumage, he has to sing his heart out.
But this bird is more than just a snazzy solo.
He's a whole glee club.
He can imitate more than 20 different bird species in one song.
The more complex, the better-like the kookaburra.
It's so convincing, it even fools the real thing...though only outside the kookaburra's mating season.
But this male doesn't just stop at bird calls.
To really impress a potential mate, he breaks out the sampler.
That was a camera shutter.
And just to show off, he adds in the camera's motor drive.
Now he's practically one of the papparazzi.
The superb lyrebird can imitate nearly any sound he hears around him in the forest, though he rarely mimics manmade sounds in the wild.
But when he gets his groove on, he can really let loose.
A car alarm.
And even a chainsaw felling trees.
Maybe he should stick with something a little more romantic.
