This is a question regarding some distrubution habits of the lyrebird (in particular southern victoria)
I have been on bushwalks through Olinda and seen Lyrebirds in the wild. My question is why the bird occurs along the great dividing range however it does not occur in either the otways national park or the macedon ranges. These two ranges are the lowest extremities of the great dividing range and share the same bushland, plant life, temperature and elevation as areas where the lyrebird is common.
During settlement land was cleared for farmland on the low lying areas however surely 200 or so years of white Australian settlement cannot have prevented any potential resident lyrebirds from continuing to live happily in the remaining - large - bush areas.
I know this is a very "Victorian centric" question but it would be interesting to hear any theories from all over Australia. Perhaps google the great dividing range to get a better idea of changing patterns of the bushland and see why this question has me so stumped.
This one will be a good one for you Bushbirdnerd. look forward to your response.
It doesn't extend very far into qld either, and is also found in TAS. Population ecology is a very complex science which we only have a very basic understanding of. In the areas you mention there may be other animals who occupy their niche, or it may just be a bit hotter and dryer than they like. I wonder if there is much of a record of lyrebird fossils to show their range in earlier times.
Further to this Berldo, the eastern whipbird isn't found in the otways or macedon ranges. Also GregL, Lyrebirds were introduced to Tasmania. You have think a lot further back than 200 years (millions perhaps). The bird obviously likes wetter forests dominated by larger trees (mountain ash) and tree ferns which start at the eastern part of its range (Dandenongs). The otways and especially the macedon ranges are isolated 'wet spots' with dry bush surrounding them so if there were lyrebirds there they could have been wiped out by some event and not been able to re-populate. Climate regimes can change dramatically over thousands of years but my guess is that these areas have been isolated for a long time and the lyrebird never got to extend there when they were connected.
Oxalis is not my friend