Description
The Seven-Plumed Lyretyrant, (Menuratyrannus septimus), is one of the smaller Lyretyrant species at 6 feet long, and is native to Australia’s subtropical rainforest in the Blue Mountains. A highly skilled mimic, it lures in prey by imitating the calls of herbivores like protoceratopsids, hypsilophodonts, and small ornithomimids in close before dispatching them with a decapitating or eviscerating bite. The male is a beautiful hue of iridescent blue-green (compared to the black coloration of the female) and is adorned with seven plumes on each side of his head as well as a row of seven plumes on his pack, and two rows of seven plumes on his tail, one on each side. During the breeding season, he creates a large lek, in which he displays by shaking his plumes, decorates with feathers from avian victims, turtle shells, and large beetle carapaces of varying hues of iridescence and calls out to females in the area. If interested, the female will reorganize the feathers into a soft lining for her nest, placing the beetles and turtle shells on the edge of the depression before pairing with the male for life. He will then provide food for her and help her raise her chicks until they are a year old. Of the Lyretyrants, this is the only monogamous species, with all the rest being polygamous.
A species i based off the Lyrebirds of Australia. A special thanks goes out to Raven-Amos here on DA for the idea of the name.