Margaret's Pages - My Australia series

AUSTRALIA.. Birds

Australia is a paradise for the bird lover, with more than 700 species in our country, in all colours and sizes.  Here I attempt to show a few of what we have - many of these come to my garden or are in the bush of our farm as well.  Some are absolutely beautiful, others very plain.  But many of the plain birds have the most wonderful "voices".  ENJOY

The BLACK SWAN is Australia's only native swan and one of our best known birds, being the emblem for Western Australia.  This waterbird is found all over the country, often in flocks of thousands.  Large numbers can be a pest to farmers, as the birds eat grass,  but we loved seeing these birds on a huge dam we had on a previous property. They are a graceful and elegant bird.

One of our largest water birds,with a wing span of more than 2 metres, is the PELICAN which is often seen on inland and coastal waters in Australia.  It feeds on fish and crustaceans, scooping them up in its enormous bill, and deep leathery pouch.  This bird is a strong flyer and good swimmer, but a bit slow and clumsy on land.  Sometimes these are on our dams.

RAINBOW LORIKEET or Blue Mountain Parrot is found in the eucalypt forests of eastern Australia.  It can become quite tame but is very noisy and large flocks can cause damage to orchards and vineyards.  We love seeing them feeding on our trees.

SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO, or the White Cockatoo, is one of Australia better known birds, and can become a pet. A very talkative pet !! It is found all over the country and likes raiding wheat crops.  Makes a racous noise which is deafening when they are in flocks.

The RED WINGED PARROT is found in the north-west and central regions of Australia, and is shy and wary bird.  It is not seen often in any coastal areas, having been driven inland, by man.

The PINK COCKATOO, or Major Mitchell Cockatoo, is a shy bird, and did not adept well to captivity and is now quite rare, mostly living in isolated inland areas of Australia. Not to be confused with a similar coloured bird, known as the Galah, which is found in open country throughout mainland Australia.

BUDGERIGARS live in open country of the inland, and do sometimes appear in coastal regions.  It is usually in large flocks, flying in tight precise formation. The basic colour in the wild is green and

but other hues have been developed through selective breeding in aviaries.  This bird is a popular pet to have and can be taught to talk. It mimics noises it hears in the household environment, also.  My children, at various stages of interest, have bred these birds in various colours and sold them to pet stores. We have a huge aviary with many domesticated lorikeets, cockatiels, and budgies.

The EMU is the 2nd largest bird in the world after the ostrich.  A full grown bird can weigh as much as 50 kgs or 110 lbs.  This bird is found all over Australia where open grassland and scrub country occurs, but it is seldom seem in settled areas. The Emu is part of Australia's Coat of Arms. It eats grass, plants and insects, and is a friendly bird which cannot fly, although runs extremely well with an ungainly gait.

The KOOKABURRA or Laughing Jackass is a bird most identified with Australia, and is the largest kingfisher in the world.   It has a wild cackling call which is familiar even in the city suburbs.  It is found in eastern and southern Australia and over in the south-west.  It likes open forest country, and is tame if living in parks and gardens.  Feeds on mice,  small snakes, and reptiles.  Many of these birds live/nest on our property, and early morning sit on the pool fence "cackling".  Of course we have plenty of snakes for their feeding.

There are many varieties of honeyeaters and this one here is the WHITE-EARED HONEYEATER and is found in south-east Australia and areas of the south-west, usually in the lighter timbered country. An audacious bird, it has been known to land on a humans head to pluck out hair for its nest! These birds eat honey (from various flowering trees) and also insects.  Its bold and inquisitive.   Honeyeaters are often seen in suburban gardens where grevilleas and other nectar producing blossoms occur.

The BLACK-BACKED MAGPIE is found over  most of Australia except for parts of the south west and south east.  A magnificent songbird that is a regular visitors to gardens. During nesting season it is aggressive, driving off any intruder and innocent passer-bys.

The CRESTED HAWK is a silent and almost ghost-like flyer found in coastal regions of northern and eastern Australia.  Hunts for insects, lizards, and small mammals.  Loves soaring and tumbling high above treetops.

The RUFOUS FANTAIL is a migrant found in most of eastern Australia at various times of the year.  It breeds normally in thick forest where there is plenty of cover.  Just as restless as other varieties of fantails, it is an attractive bird with a delicate call.  Likes insects and grubs.

Australia has many bowerbird varietieis, and this one, the SATIN BOWERBIRD is the best known.  It lives on the east coast and has brilliant plumage, although for the first 6 years of his life the male has demure olives and greens like the female.  The bird's bower, is not a nest but a structure used for the courting of the female, and is built in the forest or bush near a log or rock.  A small area on the ground is cleared of vegetation, then covered with a layer of twigs.  2 parellel walls of thin twigs are bilt to about 30 or 40 centimetres, and the bower is decorated mostly with blue objects.  The bower is ready for the courting ritual

only after the male has painted the whole structure with a mixture of saliva, dry bark and berries. This bird has a blue marble in his mouth ready for his bower.

The BLUE WREN is also known as the Superb Blue Wren and ranges over most of eastern Australia.  Very lively, and common in gardens, flitting about restlessly.  It will become very friendly if offered food, like cheese.  Wrens like mallee or mulga scrub in the wild, and eat insects.  Some varieties live in tropical areas, and are of different colourings.

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updated 9th May 2009