any one bird of the family Menuridae of the order Passeriformes. The body and tail lengths together measure 75–130 cm; the wings are rounded. The tail of the males has two uniquely curved feathers that resemble a lyre (hence the name “lyrebird”), 12 lacey plumes, and 2 ribbon-like feathers. The plumage is loose and brown-gray, and the legs are strong, with blunt claws. There is one genus, Menura, with two species—the superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) and Prince Albert’s lyrebird (M. alberti). Distributed in southeastern Australia, these birds were imported to Tasmania in 1934. Lyrebirds live in hiding in dense forests. They sing well, mimicking the songs of other birds and various other sounds. The breeding period begins in the fall (March-April), when the males engage in mating games. The roofed nests are built solely by the females on the ground, in the clefts of rocks, or in trees. In June or July (rarely later) the female lays one egg, the size of a hen’s egg, which she incubates for approximately 45 days. The nestling has sparse black down on its back. The lyrebird feeds on insects, mollusks, and seeds, which are gathered from the ground by scratching the forest floor.