Male lyrebirds in the throes of sexual union will mimic the sound of a distressed mob of other birds to fool their mate and stop her from escaping, new research from Australia has found. Known for their extravagant plumage, dancing and ability to imitate other species, researchers found males could simultaneously reproduce both the vocal ‘mobbing’ sounds, and the sounds of beating wings made by other bird species when they’re trying to scare off a predator – a trick that stops female birds from moving away
