Waterbirds at Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Grey Teal, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Monarto Zoological Park is just a few minutes’ drive from my home in Murray Bridge. We try to visit several times a year because I have a membership card which allows free entry. One of the interesting things about this open range zoo is the waterhole in the giraffe enclosure. This is actually an artificial dam which fills during and after good rains. The creek which runs into this area is an ephemeral water course. When there is water, there is always a small collection of water birds attracted by the water.

On our visit late last year observed a few Grey Teal (see photo above) and some Black-winged Stilts (photo below).  The Black-winged Stilts are found over most of Australia where there is suitable habitat, including swamps, lakes, shallow river edges,  dams, salt-fields, estuaries and mudflats. Their nest is often made of weeds or other plant materials on the ground or raised up a little off the ground or can even be a plain depression on the ground with little or no lining.

Grey Teal are one of the most abundant and widespread of the waterfowl species in Australia. Their preferred habitat includes rivers, lakes, swamps, reservoirs, estuaries, waterholes and even small farm dams – in fact, where ever there is some water.

Not far from this waterhole I photographed a Masked Lapwing sitting on eggs right next to one of the tracks taken many times every day by the visitor buses. You can read about that and see a photo by clicking here.

Black-winged Stilt, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Grey Teal and Black-winged Stilts, Monarto Zoo, South Australia