Lyre Bird – Assigment #7

Wow!  What an interesting creature!  I had never even heard of the Lyre Bird until watching the Youtube video today.  It is neat to see that there is as bird that you cannot identify by its call, as we normally do.  It’s almost like a prettier, more subdued Parrot.  Parrots have been beaten to death over the years with the endless jokes, movie scenes, plush toys, and other amusements.  It’s refreshing to see this bird that is more natural and real.

It’s incredible to hear what deforestation has done to this animal.  When you first hear it, you find it hilarious that a bird sounds just like a car alarm.  But when you sit down to write about it, you realize the enormous negative effect it has on the bird.  Setting aside the fact that they mimic as they do, deforestation alone is extremely harmful to animals.  They lose safe harbors and mates and eventually become extinct all together. 

Now lets throw in the mimicry.  The sole purpose for their mimicry is to obtain mates.  So if deforestation comes and the only sounds it hears are those of cars and equipment, what is it going to mimic?  That would be the cars and the equipment!  Therefore, their mating call is not reaching out to females because they think it’s just the workers and logging trucks.  Then, the mating doesn’t occur and no new Lyre Chicks are born, thus eliminating the population even faster. 

Deforestation has negative effects on all rainforest inhabitants.  But this poor bird bears the brunt of a double dose of danger because it depends on a totally natural environment.  

So, all in all, deforestation is bad.  Uhmmm kay.

No, seriously, it is.  We need to help the animals! :)

Advertisement