Lyrebirds burying their feathers?

["Nick Payne via Canberrabirds " <>]

Here's a Lyrebird's nest that I photographed in 2010. It was right next to the Mt McDonald Road, only about five metres from the edge of the bitumen. I think the Lyrebird must have been disturbed from its usual range by the nearby Cotter Dam construction that was taking place at the time. I cycled past the nest quite a number of times but never saw any indication that it was being used.

I still see Lyrebirds every so often in that general location as I'm cycling up from Cotter towards Uriarra Forestry Settlement.

Nick Payne

On 18/05/2026 12:12, Julie Hotchin via Canberrabirds wrote:

Hi David, and all,

This is an intriguing question. A search online came up with an interesting snippet from an observation reported in 1900, reproduced on the Museums Victoria website, which mentions that the lyrebird lays eggs in a nest lined with its feathers. Lining a nest with feathers very likely looks as though the bird was burying its feathers.

https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/1171

Lining the nest with feathers is also mentioned in general information about the Superb Lyrebird online, such as: https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/zoology/superb-lyrebird. 

Cheers,

Julie

On Fri, 8 May 2026 at 18:50, David McDonald (Personal) via Canberrabirds <> wrote:

In Libby Robin’s wonderful book What Birdo is that? A field guide to bird-people (MUP 2023), we read that the Superb Lyrebird ‘… takes the trouble to bury its discarded feathers …’ (p. 74). This behaviour does not seem to be documented in HANZAB, nor can I find it in Pauline Reilly’s The Lyrebird: a natural history (NSW UP 1988).

Does anyone have any gen on this behaviour?

David

 

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David McDonald

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Mobile: 0416 231 890 | Tel: (02) 6238 3706

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