Due to its remote habitat, Menura alberti had not been discovered when famous English ornithologist John Gould first published his Birds of Australia in 1848, although he named it (after Prince Albert) and added it in a supplement in 1850.

However, the credit as scientific describer instead went to French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon, who made reference to Gould's description of the new species before the publication of the supplement in 1850.

Leycester, who had recently settled on Tunstall Station in the location now known as Tuncester, wrote in 1880 that he had sent a description of the habits of menura alberti to Gould.

[5] The tail of the female is shorter, simpler, slightly drooping and appears more pointed when closed; it is composed of a pair of long, narrow and tapered median plumes, and fully webbed, broad, brown feathers with rounded tips, but lacks filamentaries.

They are similar to the adult female, but can be distinguished by: (1) the richer and more uniform rufous-brown colouring on the chin, throat and foreneck, and brighter red-brown wash on the forehead and forecrown; (2) the slightly paler upperbody; (3) the softer, downy texture of the rump, lower belly and vent feathers; and, most importantly, (4) the tail feathers (excluding the central pair of medians) are distinctly narrower, more tapered and pointed.

The voice can create sounds at one moment deep and resonant, switch to high thin squeaks and trills, then change again to harsh noises.

Some of the passages of song begin with a soft, mellow sound that rises clearer and louder, which has been likened to the howl of a dingo.

Even when calling strongly, this shy and elusive species is not easily sighted in the dense tangled vegetation of its habitat with dim light and the birds notoriously wary.

[10] Although the species was still widespread in lowland areas at the beginning of the 20th century,[6] the continued clearing of habitat since then has driven most populations into higher altitude forests, usually at least 300 metres above sea level.

[11][6] In the past, Albert's lyrebirds were shot to be eaten in pies, to supply tail-feathers to "globe-trotting curio-hunters" or by vandals.

[13] The bird's distribution is now restricted to several small areas of mountain ranges in the vicinity of far south-east Queensland and far north-east New South Wales; with much of the remaining habitat occurring in reserves.

In Queensland, the Albert's lyrebird is found from Tamborine Mountain and Springbrook National Park in the east, to the McPherson Range in the west.

[6] Steep moist valleys and other areas that are physically or geographically protected from wildfire are likely to offer important refuge habitat.

[6] Females seem to have their own separate territories, which partly overlap that of the male, and which they defend as feeding grounds rather than as the centre of a mating site.

[15][6] Albert's lyrebird appears to feed mainly on insects (including beetles) and their larvae, and other soil-dwelling invertebrates.

They usually find food on the ground, particularly in areas with deep moist leaf litter and fallen logs,[6] but they also forage occasionally in epiphytic ferns.

[12] Because the range of the species is confined to such a small geographic area, a threatening event, such as a severe regional drought, has the potential to affect all individuals.