I saw a female Superb Lyrebird around 1pm today in the Dandenongs. What was unusual is that she was foraging on a reserve located directly on a main road - Cnr. of Hermons Corner and Emerald-Gembrook Road at Menzies Creek. She was 10 metres away and when she saw me and my dogs get out of the car she spooked and ran off into the undergrowth. I have never seen a lyrebird in the wild, let alone in such a busy position. Is this unusual please?
I see them very often on main roads in my area (...but never if I have my camera out!). They scratch around on the roadside like chooks. There is even a road sign to warn drivers not far from my house. They are sadly quite often casualties.
Regards Roger
Thanks Roger. I was quite amazed at the time as thought they were too shy to venture this close. I need to read up !
Hi, I know the area quite well, and I feel sorry for the bird, there is a small area of bush left, but surrounded by houses. With that come cats and dogs and cars. Oh boy, I hope the bird gets a chance to survive where she is.
M-L
Yes thats what I am worried about. I am not sure how endangered they are these days but hope she survives as that is one busy intersection.
Great that you got your first sighting! I love seeing them - they can be such elusive birds, and also confusing (I've been very confused wondering why it is I can hear black cockatoos and dogs in the rainforest and not see them... until a lyrebird wandered out!).
Sadly, and realistically, I think birds have to be able to survive living within, or at least on the fringes of, human-settled areas like the one you've described. I hope it does survive where it is, because I would take that to be a good sign that they're adaptable enough to survive our world. I think (again, sadly), any animal or bird that will only survive in pristine / untouched environments is not long for this world.
Cheers,
Scott.
PS - I've read stats recently... Living in Tas, I was 'happy' (at least relatively so) that 30% of Tasmania is protected (national parks etc...). Less happy to read 16% in Victoria, MORTIFIED to read 4% of Qld is protected. Shame Qld, shame. What is being done about this? Nothing. We clear more and more. (hence my opinion that birds and animals need to be able to cope amongst humans....).
But as you say, Scott, unless they do cope amongst humans they're unlikely to survive.
Personally, I think it's a bit much to ask our wildlife to cope with humans. That notion tends to be the hidden message transmitted by so called environmentally sensitive developers. The fact is there are only a few of our wildlife species which benefit or survive in the presence of our habitats (rather than theirs), noises, poisons, pollution & destruction. Perhaps it's high time that we humans took a little, no, a whole lot more care of the natural environment. But then how realistic is this? - a question you would perhaps ask, Scott.
I often hear development-minded folk say that we need "balanced" development. Well, if we had balanced development then something like 50% of each state would be protected. So shame on all states from this point of view which is often a developmers' point of view - at least expressed if not dearly held to their hearts.
On a positive note & to show what we humans can do if we're of a mind, significant stretches of Wellington Roadside which runs south east of Mt Barker in the Mt Lofty Ranges have been rid of feral weeds. The natural understorey is making a modest comeback so far & the quality of Wellington Road as a wildlife corridor has been enhanced. More power to the weed destroyers!