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| Birds
of Australia |
| Leaving
the east coast of the United States and
arriving in Canberra, I was struck by the
diversity and beauty of the bird life in
Australia. There in my backyard, along the
bike paths and trails, and in Canberra's
parks were Sulphur-crested and Gang-gang
Cockatoos, Galahs, King and Red-rumped Parrots,
Eastern and Crimson Rosellas, Laughing Kookaburras,
Red Wattlebirds, Superb Fairy-wrens, and
Australian Magpies and Magpie-larks. You
did not have to travel far from Canberra
to see the connection between landscape,
climate, and bird life. As in North America,
songbirds have become sensitive
indicators of habitat loss, destruction,
and isolation. For me, a 'Top 10' List of
Australia's birds would include the following:
(10) Yellow-throated Miners (Manorina flavigula)
at Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges, SA. (9)
Emus
(Dromaius novaehollandiae) at Tidbinbilla
Nature Reserve, ACT. (8) Little Corellas
(Cacatua sanguinea), Yellow Waters, Kakadu
National Park, NT. Thousands of these cockatoos
were roosting, playing, and very vocal.
Bird watching was a bit dicey at this location
due to the saltwater crocodiles.(7) Camouflage
of Tawny
Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides). (6)
Wedge-tailed Shearwaters
(Puffinus pacificus) at Heron Island, Great
Barrier Reef. (5) Call
and aggressive
behavior during nesting of male Australian
Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen). (4) Reversal
of traditional gender roles by Comb-crested
Jacanas (Irediparra gallinacea), Kakadu
National Park, NT. (3) Courtship display
of the Brolga
(Grus rubicundus), Kakadu National Park,
NT. (2) Courtship
behavior of male bowerbirds.
And my number one bird experience in Australia
is the courtship display and territorial
songs and mimicry of the male Superb
Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae), Brindabella
Ranges and Namadgi National Park, ACT. More
information on bird watching in the ACT
and elsewhere in Australia is given in Birdlinks
Australia, Birdwatching
Australia, Birding
NSW, Birding
Western Australia, Birds
Australia, Birds
of the Australian National Botanic Gardens,
Birdtours,
Birdwatching
in Sydney, Canberra
Ornithologists Group, and Southern NSW and ACT Group of Birds Australia. |
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Superb Lyrebird |
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(Menura novaehollandiae) |
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Mimicking other
birds, camera |
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motor drive, chain
saw |
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© PBS, Life
of Birds |
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