A bird with an unusually shaped tail in Australia. Miracle lyre bird - lyrebird (lives in Australia): description, photo, video - lyrebird imitates the sounds of a flute. Having sensed the female, the male begins to transform

Order: Passeriformes = Passeriformes, passeriformes
Suborder: Menurae = Semi-songbirds
Family: Menuridae = Lyrebirds, lyre birds
Genus: Menura = Lyrebirds, lyre birds

Species: Great Lyrebird, Superb Lyrebird

Great lyre bird (Menura novaehollandiae). The main color of the feathers is dark, brownish-gray with a reddish tint on the rump. The chin and crop are red; The lower part of the body is brownish-ashy, lighter on the abdomen. The small flight feathers and outer tail feathers are red-brown. The tail is blackish-brown above, silver-gray below; the outer tail feathers, lyre-shaped, are dark gray; their tips are velvety black with white fringe. The inner beards have alternately black-brown and rusty-red edges; the middle tail feathers are gray, the rest are black. The length of the male is 130 cm, the length of the wing is 29, the tail is 70 cm. The female is much smaller, the color of her feathers is dirty brown, turning into gray on the abdomen. Young males, before their first moult, are similar in color to the female.

Gould told us in sufficient detail about the life of the lyrebird, and thanks to the research of Baker and Ramsay, we also have information about its reproduction. The lyrebird is native to New South Wales, east to Moreton Bay and southwest to Port Phillip. These birds live among dense thickets of bushes, in hilly or rocky areas. “Climbing these mountains,” says one lyrebird hunter, “is not only difficult, but also difficult. but also extremely dangerous. Crevices and gorges are covered with half-rotten plants, into which the foot sinks, as if into snow, knee-deep. One wrong step - and the person disappears or, like a wedge, gets pinched between the cracks of the rock. It’s happiness if he can use his weapon and, with a shot in the head, save himself from a slow death, since there is no point in thinking about help.” In such places, the lyrebird can be heard everywhere, but only just heard. Gould spent whole days in the bushes, was surrounded by birds, heard their clear clear voices, but could not see any of them.

The difficulty of approaching this wary bird and having, so to speak, intercourse with it explains why, despite the many hunting stories that travelers told us, we could not yet form a clear idea about their way of life, behavior, habits and morals. All observers agree among themselves only that this bird spends most of its life on the ground and flies extremely rarely. When running fast, the lyrebird resembles a pheasant: it extends its head, folds its tail and holds it horizontally, since only in this position can it make its way through dense thickets without damaging its gorgeous outfit. These birds are much more active in the morning and evening, but during the breeding season they can also be seen at midday in their favorite places. Males rake small round mounds out of the ground, sit on them, like displaying black grouse, and trample incessantly on these mounds, raise their tail up, spread it extremely beautifully and, in addition, express their feelings with a wide variety of sounds. Their voice, quite consistent with their well-developed singing muscles, is extremely flexible; the calling voice is loud, sonorous and piercing. The singing of the lyrebird is very different depending on the area, as it consists of its own and borrowed sounds. This peculiar singing resembles some kind of strange ventriloquism, which can only be heard by coming quite close to the singer. “This bird,” says Baker, “has the gift of onomatopoeia to the highest degree. To give an idea of how great this ability is, I will tell you the following. In Gipps Land, near the southern slope of the Australian Alps, there is a sawmill. there in holidays when everything is quiet, you can hear the barking of a dog, human laughter, singing and croaking far in the forest different birds, the scream of children and among all this the soul-rending sound produced when sharpening a saw. All these sounds are made by the same lyrebird, located not far from the sawmill.”

During the breeding season, the love of imitation intensifies. The lyrebird then replaces, like the mockingbirds of America, a whole flock of singing birds. He behaves extremely cautiously with other birds and animals, but apparently avoids humans the most.

The food of lyrebirds consists mainly of insects and worms. Gould found mainly millipedes, beetles and snails in the stomachs of birds he or his companions killed while hunting. The bird obtains a significant part of its food by rummaging in the ground. At the same time, she shows as much strength as dexterity, since, despite the fact that she scatters the earth to the sides and not back, she moves clods of earth and stones weighing up to 4 kg in order to get hidden insects. It also feeds on seeds, but probably only at certain times. The lyrebird vomits undigested remains in the form of pellets.

According to Baker's observations, the breeding season for these birds begins in August; according to Ramsay's observations, on the contrary, the lyrebird begins building a nest already in May and lays one egg in June and at the latest in July. The nest is built from the most different materials, depending on which one is easier to obtain in a given area. The nest is large, oblong, shaped like an egg, equipped with a roof and is 60 cm long and 30 cm wide. From a distance it can be mistaken for a pile of dry brushwood. The side hole serves to enter the nest, which looks very carelessly built. In fact, it is very durable and serves birds sometimes for several years. The lyrebird hatches its chicks only once a year and lays only one duck-sized egg; its length is about 60 mm, width is about 40 mm. The egg is light ash in color with faintly defined dark brown spots. The female incubates the egg alone. The male not only does not feed her, but, apparently, does not even visit her, so she leaves the nest at midday for quite a long time. Hatching lasts almost a whole month. Returning to the nest, the female crawls inside through the hole, backing away, and thereby erases her tail feathers so much that you can tell from them how long she has been incubating.

The chick leaves the nest no earlier than after 8-10 weeks.

Gould and other observers call the lyrebird the most shy bird on the globe. The crack of a branch, the fall of a small stone, the most insignificant noise causes him to instantly flee and render all the efforts of the hunter in vain, who not only has to climb over rocks, fallen tree trunks, make his way between branches, but also do all this with extreme caution. On top of that, it can only move when the bird is busy, that is, when it is rummaging in the fallen leaves or singing.

http://www.povodok.ru Photo from the site: http://montereybay.com

Squad— Passeriformes

Family— Lyrebirds

Genus/Species- Menura novaehollandiae. Lyrebird or lyre bird

Basic data:

DIMENSIONS

Length: male with tail 80-100 cm, female 74-86 cm.

Weight: male almost 1.2 kg, female no more than 950 g.

REPRODUCTION

Puberty: male from 3-9 years, female earlier.

Nesting period: from May.

Carrying: 1 per season.

Number of eggs: 1.

Incubation: 50 days.

Feeding chicks: 6-7 weeks.

Food: insects, worms and other invertebrates living in the soil or under the bark.

Lifespan: up to 15 years.

RELATED SPECIES

Only one other species belongs to this small family - the northern lyrebird.

The lyrebird is similar in size to a pheasant, but it belongs to the passerines. Its body is covered with grayish-brown plumage, and the male's beautiful tail plumage serves to attract females.

Appearance of the lyrebird bird

The lyrebird is no larger in size than a pheasant. The bird's body length including tail is about one meter, weight is one kilogram. Oval wings, brown plumage framing the upper body, feathers of the back of the head, head and neck - gray. Legs are high and strong.

Attention in appearance Birds are attracted by the tail plumage, which consists of sixteen feathers. The curve of the tail feathers located along the edge gives the tail a lyre-like silhouette, with a veil of remaining silvery tail feathers.

Only males aged seven years and older have such rich, unique plumage. During this period, the bird's tail grows and forms. All other individuals and females have a regular brown tail.

The bird's onomatopoeia and singing abilities are unique. The lyrebird is capable of transmitting sounds made by animals, birds, car engines, and motorcycles. Every morning this miracle bird practices its vocals. During the mating season, these features become especially expressive.

Lifestyle

In summer, lyrebirds live alone, in pairs or in small flocks. In autumn, males occupy nesting areas, the boundaries of which are marked by singing. Having cleared the area of fallen leaves in advance, the male rakes up an earthen mound and begins to perform the courtship dance.

At this time of year, female lyrebirds live in nesting areas that include several male sites. Lyrebirds lead a secretive lifestyle, so people rarely encounter them. During the day, these shy birds hide in the thickets of the tropical jungle. Lyrebirds spend the night in trees.

In Australia, however, there are several places where lyrebirds are so accustomed to the presence of people that they even perform their mating dances in front of them. In case of danger, lyrebirds often flee rather than fly away.

Lyrebird habitat

Where does the lyrebird live?? The bird lives only in Australia, in the southeast, starting from Brisbane to Melbourne. It is mainly concentrated in Dandenong and Kinglake national parks, etc., and around the suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney. In 1934, the species was brought to Tasmania.

The lyrebird sticks to tropical rainforests, overgrown with bushes, in which it is easy to hide. The number of lyrebirds is relatively low for a bird population.

Reproduction and lifespan

The most interesting part of the mating games of these birds is the dancing. The male, having previously collected a small mound under himself, climbed onto it, throws his luxurious tail in front of him, and begins to sing.

The singing is not only loud, but also melodic, which undoubtedly impresses the females. After some time, several females gather around the male, ready to mate with him.

After mating, the female begins building a nest. It consists of twigs, moss and dry leaves. The bottom is lined with down, feathers and roots. Most often, the nesting site is located directly in an earthen hole or on the top of a stump, not so often at a height.

The clutch is limited to one egg, gray in color with spots. Hatching occurs for almost two months. During this period, the female leaves an egg every day to feed.

The chick hatches blind and without feathers, only ten days later it becomes covered with down, until this moment it is warmed by the warmth of its mother. Feeding continues for several weeks. The chick feeds mainly on succulent larvae.

After fifty days, the young lyrebird begins to emerge from the nest. But staying with my mother for another six months, gaining experience. Only then does it begin independent life. This serious moment comes at the beginning of a new season.

After only 3 years, females reach full maturity, males later - after a few years, having previously grown a much-needed tail. As a rule, lyrebirds live up to fifteen years - this is good for birds. In captivity they live even longer.

Did you know?

The loud singing of a displaying male lyrebird can be heard over a distance of up to a kilometer.
The song of a lyrebird consists of 80% of the sounds heard by this bird. Most often these are the voices of other birds, but here you can hear a car horn, a locomotive whistle, a dog barking or, say, the ringing of a bell. The female can also imitate sounds, but her voice is quieter.
In some places in Australia, lyrebirds are so accustomed to the presence of humans that they trustingly allow people to watch their mating. One such place is Forest Park near Melbourne.
The lyrebird got its name from the unusual shape of its tail, the outer pair of regular feathers of which are curved in the shape of a lyre. The remaining tail feathers are very thin and really resemble strings.

What does it eat?

The lyrebird is a bird that is active during the day. It belongs to the order of passeriformes, but with its strong legs and claws it digs up soil and leaves, just as chicken-like birds do. The lyrebird rakes through a layer of fallen leaves and searches for invertebrates, such as millipedes.

The lyrebird's diet includes insect larvae, earthworms, terrestrial crustaceans, mollusks and other invertebrates that inhabit the forest floor.

Keeping a lyrebird at home

The aviary is required to be of sufficient size, the cage is not suitable for keeping such a bird - it will be cramped - the tail certainly cannot be fluffed. She is used to walking, moving a lot, but in a cage she will be forced to sit, which will make her sick.

It is better to make the lathing for the aviary from wood - the metal oxidizes and has a negative effect on the bird’s body. As a last resort, you can use stainless steel. The gap between the rods should not be more than a couple of centimeters, otherwise a bird sticking its head between them may suffocate.

It is necessary to equip all conditions for comfort - feeders, drinking bowls and a replaceable tray. It should be comfortable for both the pet and the owner. It is better to do without unnecessary elements like nests, mirrors, etc.

It is advisable to feed them with live food, mainly earthworms, grasshoppers and various larvae. You can add some grains to the diet, because in winter there is a problem with live food.

Video

Sources

http://thewildlife.ru/ptitsy/obyknovennyy-lirokhvost/

Leading a terrestrial lifestyle. They are notable for their superior ability to imitate natural and artificial environmental sounds. Lyrebirds are also well known for the striking beauty of their enormous tail on the male bird, which can be admired when it opens its tail for display or in courtship. Lyrebirds are considered Australia's national bird.

Behavior and ecology

The male is active in winter, when he creates and maintains an open, circular mound in dense bush, on which he "sings" and performs a courtship dance for display to potential mates, of which the male has several. The female builds a sloppy covered nest, located in a damp depression below ground level under the protection of a windbreak, or less often in trees. There she lays a single egg and incubates it herself for up to 50 days until the chick hatches.

Voice and imitation

The lyrebird's song is its most distinctive characteristic. Lyrebirds sing throughout the year, singing most during the breeding season, which runs from June to August. During this time, they can sing up to four hours a day - almost half daylight hours. A lyrebird's song consists of seven elements of its own songs and any number of other songs and sounds that it can successfully imitate. The lyrebird's syrinx is the most complex of the passerines (songbirds) and gives the lyrebird extraordinary facial expressions and an unrivaled vocal repertoire. Lyrebirds reproduce the songs of other birds with great accuracy, and also imitate other animals such as koalas and dingoes. Lyrebirds can imitate almost any sound. There have been documented cases of imitating the sounds of whistles, cross saws, chainsaws, car engines, car alarms, fire alarms, rifle shots, camera clicks, barking dogs, crying babies, music, melodies mobile phones and even the sounds of the human voice. However, although people often report cases of imitating human sounds, the frequency of this phenomenon is considered exaggerated and the phenomenon itself is considered quite rare.

One researcher, Sydney Curtis, recorded sounds similar to the playing of a flute in the vicinity of a New England national park. Similarly, in 1969, park ranger Neville Fenton recorded a lyrebird's flute-like song in the New England National Park, in the suburb of Dorrigo on the north coast of New South Wales. After investigating, Fenton learned that in the 1930s, on a farm adjacent to the park, there lived a man who had a habit of playing the flute next to his pet lyrebird. Lyrebird remembered his performance and later reproduced it in the park. Neville Fenton sent this recording to sound engineer and ornithologist Norman Robinson. Since the lyrebird can play two melodies simultaneously, Robinson filtered out one of the melodies and played it back for analysis. The song was a modified version of two popular tunes in the 1930s: “ The Keel Row" And " Mosquito's Dance" Musicologist David Rotenberg confirmed this information.

Systematics and evolution

The classification of lyrebirds has been accompanied by much controversy. At first they wanted to classify them as Galliformes, since outwardly lyrebirds are similar to the gray partridge, combed hen and pheasant, already known to Europeans, but usually lyrebirds are classified as a separate family Menuridae single gender Menura .

Generally, the lyrebird family is considered closely related to the bushbirds (Atrichornithidae) and some authorities group them into one family, but the claim that lyrebirds are also related to bowerbirds remains controversial.

The lyrebird is not considered an endangered species in the near or medium term. The Alberta lyrebird's habitat is very limited but appears to be safe as long as it remains undisturbed, while the greater lyrebird, whose habitat was once seriously threatened, is now classified as common. Even so, lyrebirds are vulnerable to cats and foxes, so the birds remain under surveillance for habitat protection schemes to counter increasing pressure from increasing human populations.

Lyrebirds are ancient Australian animals: the Australian Museum houses the fossilized remains of lyrebirds, which are estimated to be approximately 15 million years old. Prehistoric view Menura tyawanoides described from early Miocene fossils found at Riverslagh.

Kinds

Greater Lyrebird ( Menura novaehollandiae)
Albert's lyrebird ( Menura alberti listen)) are slightly smaller individuals, males up to 90 cm and females up to 84 cm, and are found only in a small area of rural Queensland. Their appearance is less impressive than that of the great lyrebird, but they are still similar to it. The Albert lyrebird is named after Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria.

Lyrebirds in folk culture

The lyrebird has been depicted as a symbol or emblem many times, with particular mention being made in New South Wales and Victoria (which are the great lyrebird's natural habitat) and Queensland (which is the Alberta lyrebird's natural habitat).

Painting by John Gould

The lyrebird is so called because of its spectacular tail (which consists of 16 highly modified feathers - two oblong in the middle of the tail, two wide, directed at an angle to the first, and 12 located between them); the tail was previously thought to resemble a lyre. The name stuck when a specimen of the Greater Lyrebird (transported from Australia to England in the early 1800s) was prepared for display in the British Museum by a taxidermist who had never before seen a living lyrebird. The taxidermist mistakenly believed that the tail resembled a lyre and that it should be positioned the same way as peacocks do when they display it, so the taxidermist positioned the feathers accordingly. Later, John Gould (who had also never seen a living lyrebird) painted a picture of a lyrebird based on a specimen in the British Museum.

Although it turned out very beautifully, lyrebirds do not hold their tails as depicted in John Gould's painting. Instead, male lyrebirds display the full width of their tail during courtship, completely concealing their head and rear part of the body - as can be seen on the Australian 10-cent coin, where the tail of a large lyrebird (during courtship) is depicted exactly.

In the early 1930s, a male lyrebird named "James" became close friends with Mrs. Wilkinson, who had been feeding the bird for a long time. Afterwards, James performed a courtship dance for her on one of the mounds he had made in the back yard - something the bird did for the wider public, but only when Mrs Wilkinson was present. On one such occasion, James's courtship lasted 43 minutes, during which he walked, accompanying his steps with a melody of his own, imitating the calls of an Australian magpie and a young magpie being nursed by a parent, an Australian eastern rattle, an Australian bluebell bird, and the laughter of two kookaburras laughing in Unison, Yellow-eared Mourning Cockatoo, Helmeted Cockatoo, Pied Rosella, Black-throated Butcherbird, Common Honeyeater, Grey-breasted Shrike Flycatcher, Avocet, White-brown Bushbird, Pied Pardalote, Starling, Golden-bellied Robin Flycatcher, Golden Whistler, Flock of Parrots, whistling on the fly , red rosella, several other birds that were difficult to identify and the trills of honeyeaters (tiny birds with thin voices) gathering in groups and chirping in sweet voices. To imitate the sweet-voiced birds, James had to lower his powerful voice to a weak and very quiet one, but he was very inventive in making every tone in this choir audible and distinguishable. James also included successful imitation of the sounds of a jackhammer, hydraulic lift and car horn in his performance.

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Notes

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at the Internet Bird Collection

Excerpt characterizing Lyrebirds

At the governor's house, Alpatych found a large number of people, Cossacks and a road carriage that belonged to the governor. On the porch, Yakov Alpatych met two noblemen, one of whom he knew. A nobleman he knew, a former police officer, spoke with fervor.
“It’s not a joke,” he said. - Okay, who is alone? One head and poor - so alone, otherwise there are thirteen people in the family, and all the property... They brought everyone to disappear, what kind of authorities are they after that?.. Eh, I would have outweighed the robbers...
“Yes, well, it will be,” said another.
- What do I care, let him hear! Well, we are not dogs,” said the former police officer and, looking back, he saw Alpatych.
- And, Yakov Alpatych, why are you there?
“By order of his Excellency, to Mr. Governor,” answered Alpatych, proudly raising his head and putting his hand in his bosom, which he always did when he mentioned the prince... “They deigned to order to inquire about the state of affairs,” he said.
“Well, just find out,” shouted the landowner, “they brought it to me, no cart, no nothing!.. Here she is, do you hear? - he said, pointing to the side where the shots were heard.
- They brought everyone to perish... robbers! - he said again and walked off the porch.
Alpatych shook his head and went up the stairs. In the reception room there were merchants, women, and officials, silently exchanging glances among themselves. The office door opened, everyone stood up and moved forward. An official ran out of the door, talked something with the merchant, called behind him a fat official with a cross on his neck and disappeared again through the door, apparently avoiding all the looks and questions addressed to him. Alpatych moved forward and the next time the official exited, putting his hand in his buttoned coat, he turned to the official, handing him two letters.
“To Mr. Baron Asch from General Chief Prince Bolkonsky,” he proclaimed so solemnly and significantly that the official turned to him and took his letter. A few minutes later the governor received Alpatych and hastily told him:
- Report to the prince and princess that I didn’t know anything: I acted according to the highest orders - so...
He gave the paper to Alpatych.
- However, since the prince is unwell, my advice to them is to go to Moscow. I'm on my way now. Report... - But the governor didn’t finish: a dusty and sweaty officer ran through the door and began to say something in French. The governor's face showed horror.
“Go,” he said, nodding his head to Alpatych, and began asking the officer something. Greedy, frightened, helpless glances turned to Alpatych as he left the governor’s office. Unwittingly now listening to the nearby and increasingly intensifying shots, Alpatych hurried to the inn. The paper that the governor gave to Alpatych was as follows:
“I assure you that the city of Smolensk does not yet face the slightest danger, and it is incredible that it will be threatened by it. I am on one side, and Prince Bagration on the other side, we are going to unite in front of Smolensk, which will take place on the 22nd, and both armies with their combined forces will defend their compatriots in the province entrusted to you, until their efforts remove the enemies of the fatherland from them or until they are exterminated in their brave ranks to the last warrior. You see from this that you have every right to reassure the inhabitants of Smolensk, for whoever is protected by two such brave troops can be confident of their victory.” (Instruction from Barclay de Tolly to the Smolensk civil governor, Baron Asch, 1812.)
People were moving restlessly through the streets.
Carts loaded with household utensils, chairs, and cabinets continually drove out of the gates of houses and drove through the streets. In the neighboring house of Ferapontov there were carts and, saying goodbye, the women howled and said sentences. The mongrel dog was barking and spinning around in front of the stalled horses.
Alpatych, with a more hasty step than he usually walked, entered the yard and went straight under the barn to his horses and cart. The coachman was sleeping; he woke him up, ordered him to lay him down and entered the hallway. In the master's room one could hear the crying of a child, the wracking sobs of a woman, and the angry, hoarse cry of Ferapontov. The cook, like a frightened chicken, fluttered in the hallway as soon as Alpatych entered.
- He killed her to death - he beat the owner!.. He beat her like that, she dragged her like that!..
- For what? – asked Alpatych.
- I asked to go. It's a woman's business! Take me away, he says, don’t destroy me and my little children; the people, he says, have all left, what, he says, are we? How he started beating. He hit me like that, he dragged me like that!
Alpatych seemed to nod his head approvingly at these words and, not wanting to know anything more, went to the opposite door - the master's door of the room in which his purchases remained.
“You are a villain, a destroyer,” shouted at that time a thin, pale woman with a child in her arms and a scarf torn from her head, bursting out of the door and running down the stairs to the courtyard. Ferapontov followed her and, seeing Alpatych, straightened his vest and hair, yawned and entered the room behind Alpatych.
- Do you really want to go? - he asked.
Without answering the question and without looking back at the owner, looking through his purchases, Alpatych asked how long the owner was supposed to stay.
- We'll count! Well, did the governor have one? – Ferapontov asked. – What was the solution?
Alpatych replied that the governor did not tell him anything decisive.
- Are we going to leave on our business? - said Ferapontov. - Give me seven rubles per cart to Dorogobuzh. And I say: there is no cross on them! - he said.
“Selivanov, he got in on Thursday and sold flour to the army for nine rubles a sack.” Well, will you drink tea? - he added. While the horses were being pawned, Alpatych and Ferapontov drank tea and talked about the price of grain, the harvest and favorable weather for harvesting.
“However, it began to calm down,” said Ferapontov, drinking three cups of tea and getting up, “ours must have taken over.” They said they won't let me in. This means strength... And after all, they said, Matvey Ivanovich Platov drove them into the Marina River, drowned eighteen thousand, or something, in one day.
Alpatych collected his purchases, handed them over to the coachman who came in, and settled accounts with the owner. At the gate there was the sound of wheels, hooves and bells of a car leaving.
It was already well after noon; half the street was in the shade, the other was brightly lit by the sun. Alpatych looked out the window and went to the door. Suddenly a strange sound of a distant whistle and blow was heard, and after that there was a merging roar of cannon fire, which made the windows tremble.
Alpatych went out into the street; two people ran down the street towards the bridge. From different sides we heard whistles, impacts of cannonballs and the bursting of grenades falling in the city. But these sounds were almost inaudible and did not attract the attention of residents in comparison with the sounds of gunfire heard outside the city. It was a bombardment, which at five o'clock Napoleon ordered to open on the city, from one hundred and thirty guns. At first the people did not understand the significance of this bombing.
The sounds of falling grenades and cannonballs aroused at first only curiosity. Ferapontov’s wife, who had never stopped howling under the barn, fell silent and, with the child in her arms, went out to the gate, silently looking at the people and listening to the sounds.
The cook and the shopkeeper came out to the gate. Everyone with cheerful curiosity tried to see the shells flying over their heads. Several people came out from around the corner, talking animatedly.
- That’s power! - said one. “Both the lid and the ceiling were smashed into splinters.”
“It tore up the earth like a pig,” said another. - That’s so important, that’s how I encouraged you! – he said laughing. “Thank you, I jumped back, otherwise she would have smeared you.”
The people turned to these people. They paused and told how they got into the house near their core. Meanwhile, other shells, now with a quick, gloomy whistle - cannonballs, now with a pleasant whistling - grenades, did not stop flying over the heads of the people; but not a single shell fell close, everything was carried over. Alpatych sat down in the tent. The owner stood at the gate.
- What haven’t you seen! - he shouted at the cook, who, with her sleeves rolled up, in a red skirt, swaying with her bare elbows, came to the corner to listen to what was being said.
“What a miracle,” she said, but, hearing the owner’s voice, she returned, tugging at her tucked skirt.
Again, but very close this time, something whistled, like a bird flying from top to bottom, a fire flashed in the middle of the street, something fired and covered the street with smoke.
- Villain, why are you doing this? – the owner shouted, running up to the cook.
At the same moment, women howled pitifully from different sides, a child began to cry in fear, and people with pale faces silently crowded around the cook. From this crowd, the cook’s moans and sentences were heard most loudly:
- Oh oh oh, my darlings! My little darlings are white! Don't let me die! My white darlings!..
Five minutes later there was no one left on the street. The cook, with her thigh broken by a grenade fragment, was carried into the kitchen. Alpatych, his coachman, Ferapontov’s wife and children, and the janitor sat in the basement, listening. The roar of guns, the whistle of shells and the pitiful moan of the cook, which dominated all sounds, did not cease for a moment. The hostess either rocked and coaxed the child, or in a pitiful whisper asked everyone who entered the basement where her owner, who remained on the street, was. The shopkeeper who entered the basement told her that the owner had gone with the people to the cathedral, where they were raising the Smolensk miraculous icon.
By dusk the cannonade began to subside. Alpatych came out of the basement and stopped at the door. The previously clear evening sky was completely covered with smoke. And through this smoke the young, high-standing crescent of the month strangely shone. After the previous terrible roar of guns had ceased, there seemed silence over the city, interrupted only by the rustling of footsteps, groans, distant screams and the crackle of fires that seemed to be widespread throughout the city. The cook's moans had now died down. Black clouds of smoke from the fires rose and dispersed from both sides. On the street, not in rows, but like ants from a ruined hummock, in different uniforms and different directions, soldiers passed and ran. In Alpatych’s eyes, several of them ran into Ferapontov’s yard. Alpatych went to the gate. Some regiment, crowded and in a hurry, blocked the street, walking back.
“They are surrendering the city, leave, leave,” the officer who noticed his figure told him and immediately shouted to the soldiers:
- I'll let you run around the yards! - he shouted.
Alpatych returned to the hut and, calling the coachman, ordered him to leave. Following Alpatych and the coachman, all of Ferapontov’s household came out. Seeing the smoke and even the fires of the fires, now visible in the beginning twilight, the women, who had been silent until then, suddenly began to cry out, looking at the fires. As if echoing them, the same cries were heard at other ends of the street. Alpatych and his coachman, with shaking hands, straightened the tangled reins and lines of the horses under the canopy.
When Alpatych was leaving the gate, he saw about ten soldiers in Ferapontov’s open shop, talking loudly, filling bags and backpacks with wheat flour and sunflowers. At the same time, Ferapontov entered the shop, returning from the street. Seeing the soldiers, he wanted to shout something, but suddenly stopped and, clutching his hair, laughed a sobbing laugh.
- Get everything, guys! Don't let the devils get you! - he shouted, grabbing the bags himself and throwing them into the street. Some soldiers, frightened, ran out, some continued to pour in. Seeing Alpatych, Ferapontov turned to him.
– I’ve made up my mind! Race! - he shouted. - Alpatych! I've decided! I'll light it myself. I decided... - Ferapontov ran into the yard.
Soldiers were constantly walking along the street, blocking it all, so that Alpatych could not pass and had to wait. The landlady Ferapontova and her children were also sitting on the cart, waiting to be able to leave.
It was already quite night. There were stars in the sky and the young moon, occasionally obscured by smoke, shone. On the descent to the Dnieper, Alpatych's carts and their mistresses, moving slowly in the ranks of soldiers and other crews, had to stop. Not far from the intersection where the carts stopped, in an alley, a house and shops were burning. The fire had already burned out. The flame either died down and was lost in the black smoke, then suddenly flared up brightly, strangely clearly illuminating the faces of the crowded people standing at the crossroads. Black figures of people flashed in front of the fire, and from behind the incessant crackling of the fire, talking and screams were heard. Alpatych, who got off the cart, seeing that the cart would not let him through soon, turned into the alley to look at the fire. The soldiers were constantly snooping back and forth past the fire, and Alpatych saw how two soldiers and with them some man in a frieze overcoat were dragging burning logs from the fire across the street into the neighboring yard; others carried armfuls of hay.
Alpatych approached a large crowd of people standing in front of a tall barn that was burning with full fire. The walls were all on fire, the back one had collapsed, the plank roof had collapsed, the beams were on fire. Obviously, the crowd was waiting for the moment when the roof would collapse. Alpatych expected this too.
- Alpatych! – suddenly a familiar voice called out to the old man.
“Father, your Excellency,” answered Alpatych, instantly recognizing the voice of his young prince.
Prince Andrei, in a cloak, riding a black horse, stood behind the crowd and looked at Alpatych.
- How are you here? - he asked.
“Your... your Excellency,” said Alpatych and began to sob... “Yours, yours... or are we already lost?” Father…
- How are you here? – repeated Prince Andrei.
The flame flared up brightly at that moment and illuminated for Alpatych the pale and exhausted face of his young master. Alpatych told how he was sent and how he could forcefully leave.
- What, your Excellency, or are we lost? – he asked again.
Prince Andrei, without answering, took out notebook and, raising his knee, began to write with a pencil on a torn sheet. He wrote to his sister:
“Smolensk is being surrendered,” he wrote, “Bald Mountains will be occupied by the enemy in a week. Leave now for Moscow. Answer me immediately when you leave, sending a messenger to Usvyazh.”
Having written and given the piece of paper to Alpatych, he verbally told him how to manage the departure of the prince, princess and son with the teacher and how and where to answer him immediately. Before he had time to finish these orders, the chief of staff on horseback, accompanied by his retinue, galloped up to him.
-Are you a colonel? - shouted the chief of staff, with a German accent, in a voice familiar to Prince Andrei. - They light houses in your presence, and you stand? What does this mean? “You will answer,” shouted Berg, who was now the assistant chief of staff of the left flank of the infantry forces of the First Army, “the place is very pleasant and in plain sight, as Berg said.”
Prince Andrey looked at him and, without answering, continued, turning to Alpatych:
“So tell me that I’m waiting for an answer by the tenth, and if I don’t receive news on the tenth that everyone has left, I myself will have to drop everything and go to Bald Mountains.”
“I, Prince, say this only because,” said Berg, recognizing Prince Andrei, “that I must carry out orders, because I always carry out them exactly... Please forgive me,” Berg made some excuses.
Something crackled in the fire. The fire died down for a moment; black clouds of smoke poured out from under the roof. Something on fire also crackled terribly, and something huge fell down.

- one of the most amazing birds in the world. What makes it so unusual are two features - its beautiful tail, and the ability to adopt and reproduce various sounds.

The bird's tail consists of 16 feathers, the outermost of which bend to take the shape of a lyre. The remaining tail feathers are something like an airy veil. By the way, only males over seven years old can boast of such a tail - that’s how long it takes to “grow” feathers. All other individuals have a modest brown tail, which facilitates camouflage in the forest.

As for singing, here lyrebird ahead of the rest. He has an extraordinary ability to imitate great amount a variety of sounds, ranging from the voices of other birds and animals, to man-made sounds, such as a chainsaw or a car (listen and watch this in the video below). Sings lyre bird all year round, however, she is most active in this regard during the mating season.

Previously, the great lyrebird could only be found in the forests of south-eastern Australia. In the 1930s, due to unfounded fears about the threat of extinction of the lyre bird, several dozen individuals were brought to the island of Tasmania. The bird has taken root well in its new location, and the Tasmanian lyrebird population is now thriving.

The size of the bird is comparable to that of a pheasant. The body length is about 100 cm including the tail, the wings are rounded, the legs are strong and quite long. The upper part of the body plumage is brown, with a smooth transition to gray at the back of the head. The head, neck, sides and abdomen are completely gray.

Large lyrebirds live in forests with dense undergrowth and thickets of bushes. They spend the vast majority of their time on the ground in search of food, and only fly low to the branches of trees to spend the night.

Watching or sneaking up on these birds is highly difficult task. Just hearing the slightest rustle or crunch, a large lyrebird immediately takes off, quickly hiding in dense thickets, and usually the observer can only contemplate a vague spot for a few seconds in the place where the bird was a moment ago. Rarely takes off, preferring running to flight.

The breeding season for lyrebirds occurs in the depths of the Australian winter, between May and September. To attract a female, the male uses his main weapon - his tail (in fact, this is his main and only purpose).
First, he creates a small hill of earth, on top of which he then stands so that he can see and hear everything around him. When a female appears nearby, the gentleman spreads his tail, forming a kind of silver-white dome above himself, from under which the bird itself is almost invisible (see how this happens in the video). The lyrebird accompanies all this with songs of his own composition, and also imitates any other sounds that he has heard before.

If the female is interested, mating immediately occurs, after which the partners go their separate ways - the male lyre bird does not take any part in breeding and raising the offspring. The female great lyrebird is not particularly faithful - before laying a clutch, she mates with several partners.

The nest is a ball with a diameter of about 60 cm, made of twigs, leaves, pieces of bark and other “beak” materials. The entrance to it is located on the side, the nest itself is built either on the ground under the protection of bushes, and is camouflaged with moss and ferns, or low above the ground on tree branches.

A lyrebird clutch consists of one single egg, which incubation lasts 6 weeks. Then the female feeds the chick for another 6 weeks, and it becomes completely independent after 9 months.

Lyrebird- a bird belonging to the order of passerines. Another name for this animal is the lyre bird. Excellently reproduces all heard sounds, of any origin. Males are famous for their beautiful tails - proudly displaying a tail fan akin to peacocks. This is an indigenous Australian bird.

The lyrebird is in its own family Menuridae , representing the genus Menura . Although it was initially planned to classify lyrebirds as Galliformes. The history of the species goes back several million years.

Most often associated with bush and bowerbirds. The bird loves to pose, so photo of lyrebird always successful and pleasing to the eye. Despite its small numbers and low distribution, it is not an endangered species.

Specific time ago there really was a threat of extinction of the lyrebird, but now, having come under protection, they are in relative safety. True, the bird is not immune from attacks by cats and foxes. Constant expansion human control also has a negative impact on the lyrebird population.

The lyrebird should not be confused with the fish of the same name, with mollies - lyrebird the bird is just a namesake. The fish has two main types: it is black lyretail mollies And golden lyretail molly.

Also worth noting lyretail swordtail And Lyretail Creniacara. This is how the lyrebird appears to be a natural variety. You can buy a similar one for about 50 rubles.

Well, let's get back to the birds. Together with the tail, the length of the male is approximately 1 m, females are smaller - 85 cm. Weight - 1 kg, females are lighter. The tail is half this length, shaped like the musical instrument of the same name, but only in the male.

The plumage color is usually brown, except for the gray chest and neck. The short wings are rounded at the edges. The tail feathers have two dark stripes. The color of the large eyes is blue. The long and strong legs have sharp claws. The pointed beak is medium-sized and very strong.

Musical lyrebird sounds are especially popular. The bird sings throughout the year, but especially during the breeding season, often for several hours.

The musical assortment includes seven main sounds, and additional heard ones. The laryngeal apparatus of the lyrebird is the most complex among many songbirds.

Being an excellent imitator, he accurately imitates the sounds of various birds and animals. Even imitating sounds from mechanical devices is not a problem. The human voice is no exception, but much less common.

By nature, they are shy creatures, so it is quite difficult to study them. Sensing danger, they make a characteristic alarming sound and try to hide. Upon closer examination, in the forest thickets, you can see narrow paths trodden by lyrebirds.

They allow the bird to move quickly and completely silently. In general, she spends more time on the ground than in flight, and flies quite rarely. Most often he just plans from tree to tree. But he sleeps higher. There are plenty of people who like to feast on this beautiful and gifted bird.

The lyrebird wakes up early at dawn, notifying the entire forest about it. Morning chant takes up to fifteen minutes. Afterwards, the property begins to be cleaned, in particular mating areas, of forest debris that has accumulated overnight.

After hard work, you can have breakfast. Lyrebirds feed creatures of various kinds, snails and, actively shoveling the forest carpet with strong and clawed paws. Doesn't refuse seeds either.

After eating, the singing continues, and this is done with particular pleasure even in rainy weather. Lyrebirds do not form pairs, therefore, during the mating period, the male defines a large territory for himself, with a diameter of half a kilometer, and defends it from competitors. There are several mating areas on the territory.

Lyrebird habitat

Where does the lyrebird live?? The bird lives only in the southeast, starting with Brisbane and ending with Melbourne. It is mainly concentrated in Dandenong and Kinglake national parks, etc., and around the suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney. In 1934, the species was brought to Tasmania.

The lyrebird sticks to tropical rainforests, overgrown with bushes, in which it is easy to hide. The number of lyrebirds is relatively low for a bird population.

Reproduction and lifespan

The most interesting in these mating games are the dances. The male, having previously collected a small mound under himself, climbed onto it, throws his luxurious tail in front of him, and begins to sing.

The singing is not only loud, but also melodic, which undoubtedly impresses the females. After some time, several females gather around the male, ready to mate with him.

The clutch is limited to one egg, gray in color with spots. Hatching occurs for almost two months. During this period, the female leaves an egg every day to feed.

After fifty days, the young lyrebird begins to emerge from the nest. But staying with my mother for another six months, gaining experience. Only then does independent life begin. This serious moment comes at the beginning of a new season.

Keeping a lyrebird at home

The enclosure needs to be of sufficient size, the cage is not suitable for keeping something like this - it will be cramped - you definitely can’t fluff up the tail. She is used to walking, moving a lot, but in a cage she will be forced to sit, which will make her sick.

It is advisable to feed them with live food, mainly earthworms, grasshoppers and various larvae. You can add some grains to the diet, because in winter there is a problem with live food.