They call it the bird of 1,000 voices, and it's no wonder. It is a superb lyrebird or royal lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) , an endemic species of southeastern Australia that has included in its repertoire of imitations that of a baby in anguish for care.
This fantastic bird, which inhabits the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, is native to central and eastern Australia and is known for its great vocal talent and great ability to mimic nature.
Although it habitually replicates forest sounds, it is capable of learning a fairly varied repertoire of sounds, outside of the classics that we can find in nature.
According to The Guardian newspaper, Leanne Golebiowski, supervisor of the bird unit at the Taronga Zoo, the superb male lyrebird named Echo, began to imitate the cry of a baby last year, probably learned from so many mothers with their babies who have passed through the zoo.
Males are often the most skilled at this musical range and these calls are believed to play an important role in courtship during the breeding season.
What does Echo's baby cry sound like? A) Yes:
