#menuranovaehollandiae — Public Fediverse posts

If you’re not Australian you’d be wondering what this weird display was. We Victorians know it’s a male Lyrebird, trying to attract a mate. Sadly, photos don’t carry sound - his repertoire of other birds’ calls was impressive - and included a chainsaw!
#Photography #NaturePhotography #AustralianNature #BirdsOfMastodon #Lyrebird #LyrebirdDisplay #VictorianForest #CoolRainforest #MenuraNovaehollandiae #SuperbLyrebird

This is Nova, the male Lyrebird. He’s the father of the chick I posted recently - and he was my friend. There was a bench in the Lyrebird aviary at Healesville - if I sat on it Nova would come and sit next to me. He would listen carefully to what I said - then repeat it. He shocked his keeper one day when he said loudly “good boy”! I had to explain I taught him to say that. Nova is the only male Lyrebird to produce young in captivity - so when his partner Reefton died the Sanctuary sent him to Adelaide to see if he would mate with their female.
#Photography #Nature #NaturePhotography #AustralianNature #WildBird #Lyrebird #Nova #MenuraNovaehollandiae #HealesvilleSanctuary

While we’re on the baby theme - here’s a baby Lyrebird. Healesville Sanctuary, in Victoria, Australia, is the only place to breed Lyrebirds in captivity. This is their 9th. Lyrebirds live on the forest floor - in semi darkness, so this was a tricky photo to get.
#Photography #Nature #NaturePhotography #AustralianNature #Victoria #BirdsOfMastodon #WildBird #BabyBird #Lyrebird #MenuraNovaehollandiae