This process of farming by the superb lyrebird operates at a spatial scale that is unprecedented in non-human vertebrates, extending across millions of ha in moist forest ecosystems.

The enhanced diversity and biomass of invertebrates generated via lyrebird foraging has potentially far-reaching implications for the structure and function of forest ecosystems; and for the temporal dynamics of forests and their response to disturbance processes, such as wildfire.

Reported examples of such positive feedback loops arising from ecosystem engineering activities are scarce, but may be more common than thought and have extensive impacts on ecosystem function.