Lyrebird
/ˈlaɪəˌbɜːd/noun
A large Australian songbird known for its spectacular tail and extraordinary mimicry.
Did you know?The name was coined because the male’s tail feathers fan out like a lyre, but the bird’s real legend is its uncanny power to imitate chainsaws, cameras, and even human voices.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
λύρα (lyra)
“a stringed musical instrument, a lyre”
Late Latin
Latin
lyra
“lyre”
17th-18th Century
English
lyre
“a small harp-like stringed instrument”
Late 18th Century
English
lyrebird
“a bird named for its lyre-shaped tail”
Modern English
English
lyrebird
“the Australian bird Menura, famous for its tail and mimicry”