Birds in Backyards
This evening I discovered a really useful and interesting website called Birds in Backyards. I had heard about this program before but I can’t recall visiting their website before.
Bird ID
One useful aspect of the site is the bird identification help called a “Bird Finder”. It prompts you to answer several simple questions about the bird you saw and then shows you the bird and gives heaps of information about the bird, its distribution, habitat and even includes an MP3 file which plays the call of the bird. It’s really neat.
Bird Records
The web site enables you to submit your bird records from your own backyard. The form is easy to fill out and takes only several minutes for each survey. Surveys can be daily (over a 20 minute period), weekly or yearly. Drop down menus make selection easy. It’s a really user friendly site. One has to become a member first, but joining takes only a minute or two and is free.
Aims of the Program
The following is quoted from the site itself:
Birds in Backyards is a research, education and conservation program focusing on birds and the urban environment. The program was developed in response to the reduction of bird species living in built up areas, the rapid expansion of these areas and the consequent loss of habitat. Initially a Birds Australia program, Birds in Backyards became a program of both Birds Australia and the Australian Museum in February 2005, when a partnership was formed.
To visit the web site click here.
Orange Bellied Parrot
I have never seen an Orange Bellied Parrot.
This is despite their range extending to quite close to where I live. The reason is simple; this species is critically endangered and only about 180 individuals exist. Add to that their migratory habits – they only spend a few months each year in our area. They are found during the cooler months (April – September) along the south east coast of South Australia from the Coorong to the Victorian south coast. In the warmer months (October – March) they migrate to breed in Tasmania.
Special Protection
This species has received plenty of special attention over recent years. Attempts have been made to protect its habitat, especially their breeding grounds. Another landmark decision occurred this week when a proposal for a wind farm in Victoria was rejected.
To read more click here.
To read more about this beautiful bird and to see photos of it go to the Birds Australia site (click here).ÂÂ
Birds of Monarto Zoological Park, Murray Bridge
Yesterday I wrote about the birds contained in the collection of the Adelaide Zoo. The birds of Monarto Zoological Park are a totally different matter. This park is of the open range type of zoo – in fact, it is a park – not a zoo in the traditional sense. It is a place we visit often, for two reasons. It is only a few kilometres – about a ten minute drive – from our home. Secondly, I am a Life Member – so it only costs me the petrol to get in.
Visitor Centre
Upon entering the grounds of the zoo at Monarto, one has to drive several kilometres to the car park next to the Visitor Centre. This facility contains an information centre, shop and a wonderful restaurant. From here one is able to go for guided walks through the mallee scrubland that forms a very important part of the local habitat. Some of this scrubland is old growth mallee, something that is quite rare in these parts.
Bus Tours
Most visitors to Monarto Zoo book into one of the Bus Tours of the park. Each tour has a volunteer guide on board. Each specially trained guide is a mine of information about the birds and animals of the park. The tours usually take about an hour and they take one through different “habitats” of the park with great views of the animals up close. For example, one gets excellent views of giraffe, zebra, lions, cheetah, painted dogs and a range of other animals from around the world.
Birds of Monarto Zoo
Adelaide Zoo’s strength is in its vast collection of birds in aviaries. Monarto Zoo is quite different. There is a small enclosure with some Mallee Fowl in it. This is part of their breeding programme for this endangered species. They also have a large enclosure some several hectares in size for their ostriches. All other birds are free ranging, that is, they are part of the natural environment. Watching for birds while on the guided walks or the bus tour is therefore very rewarding; one never knows what one is going to see.
My Bird List
The most obvious bird in the park is the Emu. One is easily able to get good views of this species in many parts of the zoo. Australian Magpies, Galahs, Little Ravens, Masked Lapwings and Red Wattlebirds and Welcome Swallows are also very common. Along the watercourses (which often dry up in summer) I have seen Pacific Black Duck, Black Fronted Dotterels and Magpie Larks.
Scrubland Birds
In the mallee scrubland it is easy to see Singing Honeyeaters, White Plumed Honeyeaters, Spiney Cheeked Honeyeaters, Crested Pigeons, Rufous and Golden Whistlers, Grey Shrike Thrush, Willie Wagtails and Yellow Rumped Thornbills. Striated and Yellow Rumped Pardalotes can been heard calling from the trees all around. On several occasions I have even recorded Flame Robins and Peaceful Doves. Common Bronzewing Pigeons can also been seen and families of White Winged Choughs and White Browed Babblers are very conspicuous.
Parrots
I’ve already mentioned the most common parrot in the park, the Galah. Other species present include Purple Crowned Lorikeets, Red Rumped Parrot and Mallee Ringnecks. Adelaide Rosellas, Cockateil and Budgerigars do occur in the district but I haven’t personally recorded them inside the park boundaries. The same could be said of Elegant Parrots, a species I have seen only a few kilometres south of the park.
Birds of Prey
The only bird of prey I have recorded is the Brown Falcon. It is quite possible to see many other species that are common in the district. These include Wedge Tailed Eagles, Black Shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestral, Australian Hobby, Black Kite, Little Eagle, Spotted Harrier, Brown Goshawk and Collared Sparrowhawk. Barn Owls, Boobook Owls and Tawny Frogmouths are all present nearby and probably occur in the park too.
This is just a sample of what can be seen within the boundaries of the park. A full list would probably reach a hundred or more different species. Some, like the Rainbow Bee-eater, are seasonal (summer) visitors while others are occasional visitors.
White Browed Babblers
One of my favourite birds is the White Browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus. We often have a family group of five to eight visit our garden here in Murray Bridge, South Australia. They are a dullish brown colour with a white throat and a prominent white eyebrow, hence their name. They are widespread in southern Australia and are often found in dry woodlands, scrubs and mallee areas.
White Browed Babbler
Endearing Calls
Their call is quite distinctive and one of the things I like about them. This morning, while I read the paper, I was aware that they had come close to the house for a visit. Their chattering miaowing calls and whistles are hard to miss. They enjoy hopping around the shrubby bushes in our front and side garden. Sometimes the mulch, bark or leaf litter goes flying in all directions as they search for beetles and other tasty morsels for lunch. Then they will fly up into the mallee trees and search for spiders and other creatures under the bark on the branches.
Nesting
Over more than twenty years of living here I have never recorded them breeding on our property. I have seen them feeding young but haven’t actually seen them using a nest with chicks in it. On one occasion, however, we did see them building a nest. This was in a bush only a few metres from our front door, so we were able to keep a close eye on their activities. The whole family went into a flurry of activity gathering sticks from all over the garden. Within a few hours they had almost finished the untidy mess of sticks they called home. That night they settled into the nest and nearby branches. Next morning they all flew off and never used the nest again.
For a lovely photo click here.
Birds of the Adelaide Zoo
King Parrot at Adelaide Zoo
Earlier this week I received the latest magazine of the Zoological Society of South Australia Zoo Times (March 2006). This magazine covers events and news of the Adelaide Zoo and the Monarto Zoological Park (about 65km SE of Adelaide and only about 8 km from my home). I receive the magazine because I am a Life Member of the zoo.
Birds of Adelaide Zoo
This issue of the magazine does not specifically cover news of any birds held in the collection. I have visited the Adelaide Zoo on many occasions over recent years and I always take the opportunity to linger at the many bird exhibits. These enclosures are not your run of the mill sterile aviary cage. The exhibits very successfully recreate a small parcel of habitat in which the species live. Desert dwelling birds are depicted in a typical desert type environment. Water birds are exhibited in lagoons and small ponds. Rainforest dwelling birds are displayed in planted up aviaries with the feel and look of a rainforest and so on.
Cattle Egret, Adelaide Zoo
Walk through aviaries
A feature of the magnificent avian collection of the Adelaide Zoo is the three walk through aviaries. In these one is able to get up close and personal with the many species contained in the display. My favourite would have to be the Rainforest aviary. This contains many species I don’t get to see here in the dry Murray Mallee of South Australia.
Education
This just highlights the valuable educational role that the modern zoo can provide. Many of the species contained in the zoo collection are not easily seen in the natural environment unless one is able to travel vast distances. I spend time studying these beautiful birds in the aviaries so that when I do come across them in their natural habitat I will be able to easily identify them. Some species I will never get to see in the wild because of their rarity or the inaccessibilty of their natural habitat. It’s not ideal – it’s not the same as seeing them in the wild state – but it’s the next best thing.
Elusive Species
One relatively common Australian bird species is the Glossy Ibis. I have searched high and low for this bird in various parts of Australia. It is even quite common within an hour’s drive of home. So far it has eluded me. This is very frustrating because I know it should be easy to find. I have seen this species in many zoos around Australia – but I’ve never seen one in its natural habitat! My day will come – then I will see it at every turn. Guarateed! It’s a birding law.
For more information about the Adelaide Zoo and the Monarto Zoological Park click here.