Perched on the banks of Sydney Harbour, with far-reaching views of the city’s most famous landmarks, Taronga Zoo is without a doubt a strong contender for the world’s most stunning zoo. And although the exotic animals – the giraffes and lions and adorable rare panda bears – that call Taronga home are mesmerising in their own ways, one of Taronga’s most remarkable residents is an Aussie local. Named for his exceptional mimicking abilities, Echo the lyrebird has become famous for the naughty catchphrases he’s picked up while living at the zoo. The eight-year-old lyrebird is able to convincingly mimic a baby crying, a power drill and – alarmingly – the zoo’s evacuation notice. We spoke with the Taronga team to get the back story on Echo.
After arriving at the zoo as a youngster without any calls in his repertoire, Echo began mimicking a baby’s cry back in 2023, picking it up based on groups of visitors who passed through the zoo. Describing her response to first hearing the sound of a baby’s cry as performed by Echo, a supervisor at Taronga, Leanna Golebiowski, says she was “Terrified… I was confused, as the zoo was closed and hearing a crying baby seriously panicked me, I was trying to find where it was coming from and if they were OK. It wasn't until Echo started another call I looked up and realised it was him. I let out a big sigh of relief after I realised it wasn't a real human baby crying.”
A baby’s cry is far from the most alarming call that Echo has picked up. He’s expertly perfected the zoo’s fire alarm sound, with the “evacuate now” announcement (which want off during the Taronga Zoo lion escape) down pat.
In the wild, lyrebirds generally mimic the calls of other birds and animals, but since he’s exposed to so many human sounds, Echo has taken a different approach. His calls also include the sound of a power drill, which the Taronga team describe as “scarily accurate”.
If you're keen to call Echo’s impressive calls in the flesh, head to Taronga – you can find ticket info and plan your visit over here.
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