Produced by Illawarra Birders Birds of Paddocks, Parks and Gardens Creature on Earth

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Produced by Illawarra Birders Birds of Paddocks, Parks and Gardens Creature on Earth Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Crimson Rosella Superb Fairy-Wren Rainbow Lorikeet Produced by Illawarra Birders www.illawarrabirders.org Crested Pigeon Laughing Sometimes wrongly called Kookaburra Eastern Spinebill Grey Butcherbird a Topknot Pigeon (which is One of the largest members A beautiful honey- eater with Little Wattlebird Red-browed Finch So-called as it stores prey a different bird). Makes a of the kingfisher family – but a beak designed for probing A noisy wattlebird with no Also known as the Red- in a tree fork, using its distinctive whistling sound it doesn’t catch fish. When deep inside flowers to extract wattles. Common in gardens browed Firetail, this is the hooked beak to tear it up into when it flies. (42cm) a family group starts their their nectar. (16cm) and heathland, feeding on commonest local finch. bite-sized chunks. But it’s noisy chorus of laughter it’s banksias, grevilleas etc. Firetails are so-called a handsome bird and sings their way of saying ‘this is our (28cm) because of their bright red beautifully! (28cm) territory’. (40cm) rumps. (12cm) Nankeen Kestrel The Kestrel, a type of falcon, is the smallest Australian bird of prey. It’s one of the Noisy Miner New Holland few birds that can hover, This native bird has a large whilst looking for prey on the Masked Lapwing Honeyeater repertoire of different calls. Willie Wagtail Welcome Swallow ground. (Another is the mainly Large plovers are known as Not a shy bird, it likes to sit on It lives in colonies which A feisty little bird, ready to A master of flight, especially white Black-shouldered Kite.) lapwings, and this one is the top of bushes and advertise aggressively exclude other take on others many times low level, high-speed (32cm) world’s largest. This bird was its presence. Shares the smaller birds. (26cm) its size. As well as its rattling aerobatics that it uses to previously known as the Spur- same habitat as the Little alarm call it has one which vacuum up flying insects. winged Plover on account Wattlebird, (18cm) some say sounds like ‘sweet (15cm) of the wing spurs which are pretty creature’. (21cm) sometimes visible. (36cm) Birds of paddocks, parks and gardens Peregrine Falcon This awesome bird isn’t Red Wattlebird Black-faced Magpie-lark Australian Raven common, but can be seen Satin Bowerbird So named because of the Cuckoo-shrike A.K.A. the Peewee. One of In Australia there are three in our area, often around The male’s famous bower red ‘wattles’ or skin-flaps Not a cuckoo or a shrike, an the few birds that sings a duet species of Raven and two escarpment cliffs. When it is not a nest. He decorates on its neck. It has a yellow older (better!) name is the – when you hear their metallic crows, all very similar. This is swoops on its prey from a it with treasures of blue to belly and a call that sounds Shufflewing – which is what chiming calls it’s usually the the only one you’re likely to great height, it is the fastest attract the greenish-brown a bit like a barking dog. it does every time it lands. male and female singing find in the Illawarra. creature on earth. (42cm) female. (25cm) (35cm) (33cm) together. (28cm) (50cm) Water & Sea Birds < Black Swan < White-bellied < Little Pied < Eastern Curlew Australia’s only native swan. Sea Eagle Cormorant The world’s largest It’s not all black - when it Watch out for it majestically Like all cormorants it’s not migratory shorebird. Every spreads its wings you will patrolling our coastline. With very waterproof, to make year it carries its massive see its white flight feathers. luck you might see it pluck a diving and catching fish downcurved bill all the way It uses its long neck to reach fish out of the ocean, hardly easier. So it has to to its arctic breeding grounds the aquatic plants that it getting its feet wet. hang its wings out to dry! and back. feeds on. (80cm) (60cm) (62cm) (120cm) < Australian Wood < Eastern Great Egret < Great Cormorant < Red-capped Plover Duck Its enormous neck is longer The largest of our four local A tiny shorebird found on Just as likely to be seen on than its body. Other white cormorants - black with a our beaches and estuaries. land as on water, sometimes Egrets you might see are yellow face. (The Little Black When it dashes across the even perching in trees. (Male the Little Egret (smaller Cormorant has an all-black sand it almost appears to be in foreground). and hyperactive when face.) moving on wheels. (46cm) feeding) and the Cattle Egret (82cm) (15cm) (following cows!) (90cm) < Pacific Black Duck < Dusky Moorhen < White-faced Heron < Pied Oystercatcher Also known as the Painted One of our commonest water A common sight near any Its orange bill doesn’t Duck because of its facial birds; in the breeding season body of water. Like all herons quite match its pink legs. markings – it looks as though its beak is red, with a yellow its neck has a ‘hinge’ - an Endangered in NSW, mainly it’s wearing makeup! tip. The similar Coot has a adaptation for spearing its because it builds its nest on (54cm) white beak. prey. beaches where it is open to (38cm) (68cm) many threats. (46cm) < Wandering Albatross < Australasian < Australian White Ibis < Sooty Oystercatcher A magnificent winter visitor Swamphen Its close cousin the Sacred Unlike the Pied to our shores, its 3.5m Bigger and more colourful Ibis of Africa which was Oystercatcher, it prefers to wingspan is the largest of than the moorhen. Both worshipped by the ancient forage on rock platforms any bird. The Illawarra’s have a part of the beak that Egyptians. Look out also for where it uses its massive bill coastal waters are a global extends over the forehead the Straw-necked Ibis which to prise open shellfish. hotspot for seabirds. – this is called their shield. has a black back. (46cm) (120cm) (46cm) (70cm) < Chestnut Teal < Pied Stilt < Royal Spoonbill < Silver Gull Only the male is chestnut. Stilts live up to their name The Spoonbill moves its bill Gulls are pirates, often And his head is green. by having the longest from side to side in shallow taking food from other birds, Or black – the colour is legs(relative to body length) water to catch fish and so if one steals your chips iridescent and changes with of any bird. Often seen other prey. Our other, rarer it’s only behaving naturally! the light. around Lake Illawarra. Spoonbill is the Yellow-billed (40cm) (43cm) (35cm) Spoonbill. (78cm) < Australasian Grebe < Bar-tailed Godwit < Australian Pelican < Crested Tern A small waterbird often found Breeding in Siberia and A Pelican’s bill really can If you see a seagull diving with ducks but not related Alaska, it holds the record hold more than its belly can. into the ocean and catching to them. It dives to find food for the longest known non- And the Australian Pelican fish, then it’s probably not and is so well adapted to stop migration flight of over has the biggest bird bill in a seagull! It is most likely life on the water, it has great 11,000 kms. the world. to be a Crested Tern, our difficulty walking on land! (40cm) (170cm) commonest tern. (25cm) (46cm) Forest & Woodland Birds < Brown Cuckoo- < Green Catbird < Grey Fantail Dove Named for its extraordinary A lively, inquisitive bird - A long-tailed bronze-coloured call which sounds like a cat closely related to the Willie pigeon. It can be hard to find miaowing – or even a baby Wagtail. Its call is very high- when sitting quietly in the for- crying! pitched - beyond the hearing est foliage. But its distinctive (40cm) of some people. call - ‘did-you-walk’ - gives it (16cm) away. (40cm) < Wonga Pigeon < Lewin’s < Eastern Koel Most often seen walking along Honeyeater A member of the cuckoo fam- paths in the rainforest. Its One of many Australian hon- ily. It’s distinctive “cooo-ee, call is a continuous ‘whoop- eyeaters (nectar-feeders), this coooee” call is a well known whoop-whoop’ - a bit like a one has a yellow ear-patch. sound in the area in the reversing truck! Its rattling call has been warmer months. (37cm) compared to the sound of a (42cm) machine gun. (20cm) < Superb Lyrebird < Eastern Whipbird < Australasian A spectacular bird and one Often heard but rarely Figbird of the world’s best mimics, seen. The ‘whipcrack’ is the The male has a patch of copying the calls of many male’s call; a ‘cheep cheep’ bare skin around its eye other birds. Captive birds afterwards is the reply of an which turns bright red in the have been known to copy the interested female. breeding season. Look out for sounds of cars, phones, and (28cm) this bird in fruiting fig trees. even chainsaws. (95cm) (28cm) < White-throated < Golden Whistler < Eastern Yellow Treecreeper This is a classic example of Robin Hunts insects by walking up how in many birds the male is Yes we do have robins with tree trunks from bottom to very brightly coloured, but the red breasts in Australia, but top; it then flies down and female is a dull brown! they are uncommon here. starts again on the next tree. (18cm) This is the robin you are most Its call is a piercing, repetitive likely to see, often perching whistle. (17cm) on the side of a tree trunk. (16cm) Introduced Birds - These are some of the birds found locally that have been introduced to Australia by man.
Recommended publications
  • Effects of Fish Kills on Fish Consumers and Other Water-Dependent Fauna: Exploring the Potential Effect of Mass Mortality of Carp in Australia
    Marine and Freshwater Research, 2020, 71, 156–169 © CSIRO 2020 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19035 Supplementary material Effects of fish kills on fish consumers and other water-dependent fauna: exploring the potential effect of mass mortality of carp in Australia Heather M. McGinnessA,F, Alexandra PatonA, Ben GawneB, Alison KingC, R. Keller Kopf D, Ralph Mac NallyB and Paul J. McInerneyE ACommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Land and Water, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. BInstitute for Applied Ecology, The University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. CResearch Institute for Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0815, Australia. DInstitute for Land Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia. ECentre for Freshwater Ecosystems, La Trobe University, Wodonga, Vic. 3690, Australia. FCorresponding author. Email: [email protected] Page 1 of 7 Marine and Freshwater Research © CSIRO 2020 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19035 Table S1. Aquatic fauna components of the diets of birds that consume freshwater fish in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia Primary sources for all species are the published compilations of data by Barker and Vestjens (1989); and Marchant and Higgins (1990). Other species- specific sources are listed in the table. Parentheses indicate components not listed by name in sources but likely to be consumed considering other known food items, feeding techniques, foraging habitats, and gape size Family Taxon name Taxon
    [Show full text]
  • New Australian White Ibis Rookery at Salamander Bay
    The Whistler 10 (2016): 54-55 New Australian White Ibis rookery at Salamander Bay Lois Wooding 14/4 Muller Street, Salamander Bay, NSW 2317, Australia Australian White Ibis Threskiornis moluccus have the Wanda Wetlands colony at around 50 birds and established a new rookery at Salamander Waters relatively stable in numbers. Estate, Salamander Bay, NSW (32⁰43'33.48"S, 152⁰04'48.65"E). The new location is The new rookery is located in the first of two approximately one kilometre from a long- catchment ponds designed to drain the Salamander established colony in the Wanda Wetlands Sports Complex (Figure 1), which is built on (32⁰43'50.85"S, 152⁰04'48.65"E). Whether the saltmarsh reclaimed by infill generated by the new colony is the result of over-population at the neighbouring waste disposal facility. The site is Wanda Wetlands site or an influx of new “urban part of a BirdLife Australia atlassing route (Site ID ibis” to the area is unknown. Accurate assessment 267484-5; Fixed Route 1-2hrs). Australian White of both sites is hampered by difficult access and Ibis have been recorded on 92% of the monthly restricted visibility. bird surveys conducted since January 2007 (Figure 2). Surveys between 2007 and 2009 recorded the The Wanda Wetlands site was colonized in the presence of one to five ibis foraging in the pond, early 90s. The location, which is roughly but from July 2009 numbers have slowly equidistant (~1km) from two sports grounds, the increased, although no evidence of colonization Port Stephens Estuary and the Salamander waste was observed.
    [Show full text]
  • Royal Spoonbill in Distress Looking out of My Lounge Window I Saw Something on the Edge of the River Where the Royal Spoonbills Like to Loaf
    Waikanae Estuary Newsletter No 48 February 2011 www.kapitibirdtours.co.nz partners to Nature Coast Bird Trail www.naturecoastbirdtrail.co.nz Waikanae Estuary bird tours 9051001 Royal Spoonbill in Distress Looking out of my lounge window I saw something on the edge of the river where the royal spoonbills like to loaf. It looked like a piece of white plastic, even after looking through my telescope, so I thought no more about it. Later, in the morning having a cuppa tea with our friend Eileen, Moira, my wife remarked that there was a white bird flapping about. It wasn’t a piece of plastic at all. It was a royal spoonbill in distress. Eileen and I went down and I threw a sheet over the bird realising it was in a bad way. I decided to take it to the Nga Manu wildlife reserve. Eileen wanted to know how we were going to get it there as we didn’t have a box to put it in. “Don’t worry you are going to nurse it” I said as I put a towel over her lap and passed her the bird wrapped in a sheet. Bruce at Nga Manu met us at the door and we passed the bird to him. “Feel the ribcage Mik” he said and there was absolutely no meat there. Extending from both sides of its head were about thirty bloodsucking ticks with their bodies extended with blood sucked from the bird. I left the bird with Bruce and with the help of Rhys their wild life expert, they, with tweezers removed the ticks and some lice which were also affecting the bird.
    [Show full text]
  • 2015-Birds-Of-ML1.Pdf
    FREE presents Birds of Mawson Lakes Linda Vining & MikeBIRDS Flynn of Mawson Lakes An online book available at www.mawsonlakesliving.info Republished as an ebook in 2015 First Published in 2013 Published by Mawson Lakes Living Magazine 43 Parkview Drive Mawson Lakes 5095 SOUTH AUSTRALIA Ph: +61 8 8260 7077 [email protected] www.mawsonlakesliving.info Photography and words by Mike Flynn Cover: New Holland Honeyeater. See page 22 for description © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without credit to the publisher. BIRDS inof MawsonMawson LakesLakes 3 Introduction What bird is that? Birdlife in Mawson Lakes is abundant and adds a wonderful dimension to our natural environment. Next time you go outside just listen to the sounds around you. The air is always filled with bird song. Birds bring great pleasure to the people of Mawson Lakes. There is nothing more arresting than a mother bird and her chicks swimming on the lakes in the spring. What a show stopper. The huge variety of birds provides magnificent opportunities for photographers. One of these is amateur photographer Mike Flynn who lives at Shearwater. Since coming to live at Mawson Lakes he has become an avid bird watcher and photographer. I often hear people ask: “What bird is that?” This book, brought to you by Mawson Lakes Living, is designed to answer this question by identifying birds commonly seen in Mawson Lakes and providing basic information on where to find them, what they eat and their distinctive features.
    [Show full text]
  • 160 Yellow-Billed Spoonbill
    Text and images extracted from Marchant, S. & Higgins, P.J. (co-ordinating editors) 1990. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds. Volume 1, Ratites to ducks; Part B, Australian pelican to ducks. Melbourne, Oxford University Press. Pages 953, 1071, 1104-111 0; plate 80. Reproduced with the permission of Bird life Australia and Jeff Davies. 953 Order CICONIIFORMES Medium-sized to huge, long-legged wading birds with well developed hallux or hind toe, and large bill. Variations in shape of bill used for recognition of sub-families. Despite long legs, walk rather than run and escape by flying. Five families of which three (Ardeidae, Ciconiidae, Threskiornithidae) represented in our region; others - Balaenicipitidae (Shoe-billed Stork) and Scopidae (Hammerhead) - monotypic and exclusively Ethiopian. Re­ lated to Phoenicopteriformes, which sometimes considered as belonging to same order, and, more distantly, to Anseriformes. Behavioural similarities suggest affinities also to Pelecaniformes (van Tets 1965; Meyerriecks 1966), but close relationship not supported by studies of egg-white proteins (Sibley & Ahlquist 1972). Suggested also, mainly on osteological and other anatomical characters, that Ardeidae should be placed in separate order from Ciconiidae and that Cathartidae (New World vultures) should be placed in same order as latter (Ligon 1967). REFERENCES Ligon, J.D. 1967. Occas. Pap. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich. 651. Sibley, C. G., & J.E. Ahlquist. 1972. Bull. Peabody Mus. nat. Meyerriecks, A.J. 1966. Auk 83: 683-4. Hist. 39. van Tets, G.F. 1965. AOU orn. Monogr. 2. 1071 Family PLATALEIDAE ibises, spoonbills Medium-sized to large wading and terrestial birds. About 30 species in about 15 genera, divided into two sub­ families: ibises (Threskiornithinae) and spoonbills (Plataleinae); five species in three genera breeding in our region.
    [Show full text]
  • The 2008 Edition of the Adjutant. It Is, However, with a Touch of Sadness That I Write This Introduction to This Excellent, Rejuvenated and Revised Magazine
    Welcome to the 2008 edition of The Adjutant. It is, however, with a touch of sadness that I write this introduction to this excellent, rejuvenated and revised magazine. Let me explain. Earlier this year it became clear that our sister society, the Royal Air Force Ornithological Society (RAFOS), was not able to guarantee future funding for Osprey, our joint magazine. The Committee of the Army Ornithological Society (AOS) quickly came to the conclusion that it did not have the necessary resources to ‘go it alone’ and decided that Osprey would no longer be published. I am fully aware that my predecessor, Ian Nason, spent much time and energy on encouraging the start of Osprey, the first edition of which appeared as my tenure as Chairman of the AOS began. Maybe the demise of Osprey is a sign for me to move on, but first I must thank the joint editors of Osprey from inception, Simon Strickland (AOS) and Mike Blair (RAFOS), for their magnificent achievements over the years in providing such a first class magazine. Actually I am not going to hand over, not yet, as we are certain that the way the AOS Bulletin has progressed under its current editor, Andrew Bray, gives us a cheaper alternative and one which I wish to promote. We therefore have decided, for 2008 at least, to provide a new single publication with two parts reflecting both the differences and the synergy between Osprey and The Bulletin. A vote at our AGM in the Summer confirmed that this new magazine would be entitled The Adjutant (which was last published in 2000), headed with our re-energised logo, the more upright Adjutant Stork.
    [Show full text]
  • An Apparent Case of Interspecific Allopreening by a Royal Spoonbill Platalea Regia
    An apparent case of interspecific allopreening by a Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia Matthew Mo NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle NSW 2568, Australia. Email: [email protected] DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2016.020 Introduction The altruistic behaviour, allopreening is widespread Spoonbills in breeding plumage were observed, with one amongst birds, especially in aggregating species (Waltman spoonbill seen on a nest on 23 March 2016. Subsequent Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article-pdf/38/2/214/2866583/az_2016_020.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 and Beissinger 1992; Radford and Du Plessis 2006; Cox visits on 2 and 9 May located four immature spoonbills in 2012; Gill 2012). One obvious benefit is the removal of a mixed flock with six to eight Australian White Ibises. ectoparasites and maintenance of plumage condition, On both these days, the mixed flock was at the same although close proximity may also aid the transmission locality, with individual birds alternating between feeding of parasites (Frigerio et al. 2016). Allopreening also in the shallows of the western side of the lake and resting appears to have important social functions, with some or preening on the small island structures. studies suggesting it promotes pair bonding (Barbour and Degange 1982), buffers the negative effects of social stress On 12 May, observations were made between 1145 and (Scheiber et al. 2005; Hennessy et al. 2006; Stoẅe et al. 1320 hours. There were two immature spoonbills and 2008) and reduces the likelihood of interspecific conflicts seven ibises present.
    [Show full text]
  • Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands
    Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands 1. Date this sheet was completed/updated: FOR OFFICE USE ONLY. DD MM YY April 1999 2. Country: Designation date Site Reference Number Australia 3. Name of wetland: Narran Lake Nature Reserve 4. Geographical co-ordinates: Latitude: 29° 43' S; Longitude: 147° 26' E 5. Altitude: 120 - 140m ASL 6. Area: 5,531 hectares 7. Overview: Narran Lake Nature Reserve covers part of a large terminal wetland of the Narran River in New South Wales (NSW) at the end of the Condamine River system which flows from Queensland. The area is internationally significant for waterbird breeding and as habitat for species including a number listed under the Japan–Australia and China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreements (JAMBA and CAMBA). The Nature Reserve also contains a variety of flora associations which are considered to be threatened in NSW. 8. Wetland Type marine-coastal: A B C D E F G H I J K inland: L M N O P Q R Sp Ss Tp Ts U Va Vt W Xf Xp Y Zg Zk man-made: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Please now rank these wetland types by listing them from the most to the least dominant: Inland Wetlands N P Ts W Xf 9. Ramsar Criteria: 1a 1b 1c 1d 2a 2b 2c 2d 3a 3b 3c 4a 4b Please specify the most significant criterion applicable to the site: : __2c__ 10. Map of site included? Please tick yes ; -or- no 11. Name and address of the compiler of this form: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Telephone: 02 9585 6692 PO Box 1967 Fax: 02 9585 6495 Hurstville NSW 2220 Email: [email protected] AUSTRALIA 12.
    [Show full text]
  • Cranes Red-Crowned Crane 7 Siberian Crane 9 Hooded Crane 12 White-Naped Crane 15
    Avian Models for 3D Applications Characters and Procedural Maps by Ken Gilliland 1 Songbird ReMix Shorebirds Volume Four: More Wading Birds Contents Manual Introduction 3 Overview and Use 3 Physical-Based Rendering 4 Pose Tips 4 Where to Find Your Birds 5 Field Guide List of Species 6 Cranes Red-crowned Crane 7 Siberian Crane 9 Hooded Crane 12 White-naped Crane 15 Spoonbills Eurasian Spoonbill 17 Yellow-billed Spoonbill 19 Ibises Sharp-tailed Ibis 21 Scarlet Ibis 23 American White Ibis 25 Herons & Egrets Black Heron 27 Chinese Egret 29 Pacific Reef Heron 31 Tri-colored Heron 33 Rufescent Tiger Heron 35 Storks Orential Stork 37 Resources, Credits and Thanks 39 Copyrighted 2019 by Ken Gilliland www.songbirdremix.com Opinions expressed on this booklet are solely that of the author, Ken Gilliland, and may or may not reflect the opinions of the publisher. 2 Songbird ReMix Shorebirds Volume Four: More Wading Birds Introduction “Wading Birds” is a term used to classify birds commonly found along shorelines and mudflats that wade in order to forage for food. “More Waders” features most of the common and unusual birds within the Crane, Spoonbill, Heron, Egret, Ibis and Stork families. Overview and Use The set is located within the Animals : Songbird ReMix folder. Here is where you will find a number of folders, such as Bird Library, Manuals and Resources . Let's look at what is contained in these folders: o Bird Library: This folder holds the actual species and poses for the "premade" birds. Birds are placed into a "type" folder (such as "Birds of Prey (Order Falconiformes)" which for example would hold falcons, hawks and eagles).
    [Show full text]
  • Waterbirds at Narran Lake Nature Reserve, New South Wales, in 1996
    VOL. 17 (5) MARCH 1998 219 AUSTRALIAN BIRD WATCHER 1998, 17, 219-233 Waterbirds at Narran Lake Nature Reserve, New South Wales, in 1996 by ANDREW J. LEY, 19 Lynches Road, Annidale, N.S.W. 2350 Summary Waterbird breeding was documented during 1996 in the Narran wetlands in northern New South Wales, concentrating on the Narran Lake Nature Reserve. The wetlands filled twice during the year, in January and June, after 40 months without a flood. After the first flood, a major waterbird breeding event took place in the Nature Reserve: Darters Anhinga melanogaster; Pied Phalacrocorax varius, Little Black P. sulcirostris and Great Cormorants P. carbo; Great Egrets Ardea alba; Glossy Plegadis falcinellus, Australian White Threskiomis molucca and Straw-necked Ibis T. spinicollis; and Royal Spoonbills Platalea regia established colonies. Breeding was confirmed for a further 11, non-colonial, species. Breeding was also observed during December on Narran Lake, which lies outside the boundary of the Nature Reserve. The Nature Reserve included the site of the largest colony of Straw-necked Ibis ever recorded, and with 102 000 nests in 1996 had the third largest ibis colony documented. It ~ also particularly important for breeding Little Black Cormorants and Royal Spoonbills. Narran Lake Nature Reserve is one of the most highly ranked wetlands of the Murray-Darling Basin for species diversity, number of breeding species and total number of birds. The wetlands have held nationally and internationally significant populations of Palaearctic migrants, and provide habitat for 11 species covered by international treaties. The waterbirds in the Narran wetlands have been little studied, and much more needs to be done to document the importance of the area, which is under threat from water extraction for irrigation upstream.
    [Show full text]
  • Waterbird Theme Straw-Necked Ibis, Australian White Ibis, Glossy Ibis
    Three species of Australian Ibis: Waterbird Theme Straw-necked Ibis, Australian White Ibis, Glossy Ibis Waterbird Theme Co-ordinator: Heather McGinness (CSIRO) Waterbird Theme Leadership Group: Richard Kingsford (UNSW) Ralph Mac Nally (UC) Veronica Doerr (CSIRO) G J Broinowski 1890 Birds of Australia Waterbird Theme Research Implementation: Heather McGinness, Freya Robinson, Melissa Piper, Jessica Hodgson, Art Langston, Micah Davies, Lucy Wenger, Jaslyn Allnutt, Lauren O’Brien, Tamara Potter (CSIRO), Kate Brandis, Dianne Harshbarger (UNSW), John Martin (RBGSyd), Maria Bellio (CSU), students, interns and volunteers https://research.csiro.au/ewkrwaterbirds/ W http://ewkr.com.au/ @AusWaterbirds Waterbirds Australia Acknowledgements • CSIRO colleagues • EWKR colleagues, especially Theme Coordinators and Vale MDFRC/CFE management and leadership Rick Webster • Keith Ward and GBCMA colleagues • Ali Borrell and Rick Webster • Tim Hosking and NSW OEH colleagues • Land and water site owners and managers • Students, volunteers, and interns • Everyone who searched for transmitters! • CEWO staff • CMA and LLS staff • NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and ACT govt staff Introduction The expected outcomes of the Australian Murray-Darling Basin Environmental Watering Strategy for waterbirds are ‘increased abundance and the maintenance of current species diversity’ (MDBA 2014). To achieve this, we need to address knowledge gaps and issues including: a) Drivers of and threats to recruitment b) Demographic rates c) Movements Doing so will improve our capacity to more effectively
    [Show full text]
  • Notes on the Tracheae and Bronchi of the Australian Spoonbiels
    1975 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 87 NOTES ON THE TRACHEAE AND BRONCHI OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPOONBIELS INTRODUCTION trachea, syrinx and bronchi were dissected out of The tracheae of only two extant species of spoonbills each bird. Some were cleaned and bleached as de- have been described: that of the White Spoonbill scribed by Johnsgard (1961) and dried and mounted Platalea leucorodia by Willoughby (1678) and Yar- on cardboard. re11 (1841), who both refer to earlier observations RESULTS by the Italian naturalist, Aldrovandi, in the sixteenth century; Allen (1942) refers to Hudson's work on Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Fig. la) the trachea of the Roseate Spoonbill Ajaia ajaja. In adults and young of ;both sexes the trachea is While studying feeding behaviour, I examined the straight and flattened and the cross-section varies tracheae of the Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flu- only slightly. It has 139 cartilaginous rings and each vipes and of the Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia and bronchus has twenty-five. The width of the syrinx the results are now presented. does not exceed that of the trachea. METHODS Royal Spoonbill (Fig. lb-d) I collected and examined tracheae between January Nestlings and young birds without any sign of a 1970 and July 1972 at Lake Cowal, NSW. Fifty- crest have a straight trachea, which is wider in the three tracheae were studied: twenty-three of Yellow- lower half. The trachea is flattened throughout. It billed Spoonbills: ten adults (three $, seven ?), six has 310 rings, which in the lower half are densely irnmatures and seven juveniles; thirty of Royal Spoon- packed.
    [Show full text]