Western Sydney University study finds male lyrebirds can sample, compose and share songs

New research has found that a bird, known for mimicking sounds, is actually a mixtape master with the ability to sample, compose and share songs with their neighbours.

It turns out that a species of bird known for mimicry has actually been a sampling mixtape master all along.

New research led by Western Sydney University (WSU) found male lyrebirds ‘compose’ long complex songs created out of mimicked sounds ‘sampled’ from their environment, and share these songs with their neighbours.

‘Male Albert’s lyrebirds with their tails displayed’. Photo: Fiona Backhouse.

Fiona Backhouse, lead researcher and PhD student at WSU, likened lyrebirds to hip-hop music producers after finding that they were able to sample sounds from other birds and compose new songs.

“Through our study, we’ve established that each population has a characteristic song sequence, where individual males sing the same song sequence many times during the breeding season with only minor variations, and his neighbours will sing a very similar song sequence, but there are differences among populations,” Ms Backhouse said.

Her study, published in an academic journal, investigated how lyrebirds sampled sounds to generate song sequences.

Alberts lyrebird in its natural habitat. Photo: Justin Welbergen and Anastasia Dalziell

“Our study provides strong evidence that individuals copy the sequences from individuals nearby – their neighbours – whom themselves copy the sequences from others,” she said.

“This then provides the ingredients for a ‘game of telephone’, whereby changes in sequence structure evolve throughout the species’ range. This process is similar to how geographical differences arise in human communication.”

The study also found male lyrebirds are the ultimate playboys, generating a wide range of sounds to impress the opposite sex.

“Previously, lyrebirds and other vocal mimics were viewed as ‘passive’ mimics – like a recorder merely reproducing what they heard. This research shows that lyrebirds do in fact use their mimicry to ‘compose’ long, complex songs, all in an effort to appeal to their female listeners,” Ms Backhouse said.