Move Over, Rich Little: The Lyrebird has Mimicry Down

Remember that kid in your middle school class who did spot-on impressions of the teacher, the president, and all your favorite celebrities? Chances are he got some yuks. That talent (if he did a passable Casanova impression) might have even earned him a lady friend. You might have called him the “class clown” but “class lyrebird” might be more accurate.

The lyrebird’s got fine plumage, but fine plumage is ho-hum in the bird world. To attract a mate, lyrebirds concoct elaborate mating calls cobbled together from the various sounds of the forest. They have been documented imitating the calls of at least 20 different birds, but their skill goes way beyond that. In the video above, watch the lyrebird mimic a chainsaw, car alarm, and not one but two types of camera shutters. It might make you think twice before the next time you bust out your best Austin Powers.

Do you know of any other impressive animal abilities? We’d love to hear about it!