What is the name of the mimicry ability of the superb lyrebird?

The superb lyrebird’s ability to imitate other sounds is called vocal mimicry.

Male superb lyrebirds are celebrated for copying the calls of other birds and incorporating sounds from their environment into elaborate displays. Their repertoire can include several species’ calls, and captive or urban birds have sometimes copied artificial noises. These imitations are combined with the lyrebird’s own vocalizations during courtship and territorial performance.

Mimicry does not mean that the bird understands every sound in the human sense. It means that its vocal system can learn and reproduce acoustic patterns. The accuracy and variety of imitation make the superb lyrebird one of the best-known examples of vocal learning among birds.

The superb lyrebird is native to southeastern Australia. Its long tail and courtship display are visually striking, but the acoustic performance is equally important. The term “vocal mimicry” is more precise than simply calling the bird a “talking bird.”