Emu at Adelaide Zoo
Emu and Tammar Wallaby, Adelaide Zoo
Adelaide Zoo in South Australia is one of my favourite zoos, and it is also my home zoo, being less than an hour’s drive from my home. I am a life member of Zoos SA, mainly because of my love of birds and animals but also because of the zoo’s excellent conservation programmes.
Adelaide Zoo boasts an excellent collection of Australian bird species as well as a few foreign birds. There are several walk through aviaries which I always visit because they provide an excellent opportunity for bird photography. There are numerous other aviaries too, but shooting through the wire of each cage can be challenging. More about that in future articles here.
I didn’t have any such problems taking photos of the Emus in their enclosure. They roam around a large enclosure with only a low fence surrounding it. This provides excellent opportunities for good photos. They also share the enclosure with some Tammar Wallabies. In the last photo you can see a wallaby with a joey poking his head out of the pouch to pose for me.
Further reading:
- Giant Pandas at Adelaide Zoo
- Birds of Adelaide Zoo
- Eclectus Parrots, Adelaide Zoo
- Emus at Monarto Zoo
Emu and Tammar Wallaby, Adelaide Zoo
Tammar Wallaby, Adelaide Zoo
Birds in the Adelaide Zoo
Emu, Adelaide Zoo
I really enjoy visiting zoos. I love seeing the many animals on display but I especially like visiting zoos because of the photographic opportunities they present.
My home zoo is Adelaide Zoo here in South Australia. It’s about an hour’s drive from my home and I am a life member. I don’t particularly like animals being caged up and not free, but I became a member supporting Zoos SA because of their excellent conservation programmes. They have wonderful breeding programmes and have been very successful in breeding several endangered species and then releasing those animals back into their natural habitats.
One of the strengths of the Adelaide Zoo is their strong bird collection. All the birds are kept in aviaries which mimic their preferred habitats. Several of the aviaries are open to the public to walk through, and these provide excellent photo opportunities. I’ll be sharing some of these photos in the coming days.
Further reading:
- Birds of the Adelaide Zoo
- Straw-necked Ibis, Adelaide Zoo
- Little Penguins at Adelaide Zoo
- Giant Pandas at the Adelaide Zoo
Emu eggs, Adelaide Zoo
Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby, Adelaide Zoo
Red Kangaroo, Adelaide Zoo
Guest speaker about Australian birds
White-headed Pigeon
Last week I had the privilege of talking about Australian birds to two community groups here in Murray Bridge, South Australia.
At the first meeting, a church group, I had an audience of eight. Despite the small number, my talk was well received and the photos shown much enjoyed.
On the following morning I spoke to the Mobilong Ladies Probus Club, this time to 108 ladies. Again the talk and photos were well received, and they laughed at my jokes which is a bonus. On the down side, I went a little over time so there was no time for questions.
I have done this presentation to nearly a dozen community groups now so I’m getting a name for myself. I’m prepared to speak to any group about my passionate interest.
I’m even prepared to travel interstate – if a plane ticket is provided! (Hey – no harm in hinting!)
Good birding.
The importance of bird baths
Mallee Ringneck Parrot
Quite a few of the photos shown on this site are of birds at one of the bird baths we have in our garden. Providing water by means of a bird bath is one of the most effective ways of attracting birds to your garden – and keeping them coming back.
Near the end of spring here in Australia is an ideal time to add a bird bath to your garden. The days are warming up and the hot weather is on the way. Our native birds appreciate a reliable source of water. Installing one or more sources of water is also an excellent way of observing our birds close up.
On this morning’s gardening show on ABC radio here in South Australia (Adelaide 891) the host Jon Lamb interviewed a guest speaker on the principles to follow with bird baths. I took some written notes and share them here:
Acclimatisation:
It will take some weeks for the birds in your garden to get used to a new structure in your garden. Now is the time to install it, knowing that by the time the really hot weather comes the birds will be used to it. Our bird baths have been in place now for four or five years, so our resident birds are quite used to it. Within minutes of adding water they are there enjoying themselves. Two weeks ago I added another just outside my office window; so far only 2 species have visited it.
Hygiene:
Birds use the same water they bathe in to also drink from, so it is important to regularly clean the bird bath. Change the water every few days adding fresh water. If the bath becomes stained, scrub it clean but use no chemicals doing so. In fact, it is probably wise to scru each bird bath at least fortnightly; weekly if you can.
Depth of water:
Most of the smaller birds that will come to your bird bath will not be strong swimmers. The bird bath must be shallow, or have shallow areas so if a bird gets into trouble it can safely get out. Steep sides are to be avoided. I have placed a small brick or stone in each of our baths, and the birds use this for perching on when using the bath, or drinking.
Location:
Choosing the right location for a bird bath is essential. You can have one out in the open and it will be used, but it is far better to locate it near thick shrubbery, so the birds can quickly escape if a predator like a hawk is hovering nearby. They feel much more secure if they have a quick escape route and will therefore be happier about using your bird bath. It is also suggested that you choose a shady spot as the water can get very hot and uncomfortable on very hot days if it is in full sun.
Enjoyment:
We get a great deal of enjoyment watching the passing parade of birds coming to drink and bathe. We consider sitting in our sun room watching the birds is a “good” waste of time, right up there with taking time to “smell the roses’. In addition to the location considerations I’ve already mentioned, locate one of your bird baths where you can see it from a room in your house, or perhaps a veranda or pergola area. This will give you countless hours of enjoyment of our feathered friends.
Ponds:
More ambitious gardeners may incorporate a pond to provide water for the birds. If the water is deep, be sure to provide shallow parts, or add a log partly in the water, or stones or pebbles for the birds to perch on without the danger of drowning.
Eastern Rosella in our garden
What is a baby pelican called?
Australian Pelicans, Mallacoota, Victoria
Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking about Australian Birds, and showing some of my bird photos, at our local Mobilong Ladies Probus Club. There were just over 100 attentive women at the meeting, they all appeared to enjoy my presentation and they even laughed at my jokes!
One of them asked me a very difficult question, one I couldn’t answer: What is a baby pelican called?
Many birds and animals have specific names for their young, eg cygnets for swans, cubs for bears and kittens for cats. It seems however that no-one has got around to giving a special name to baby pelicans. So be it.
An extensive search online has revealed that one person calls them “toddlers”, an entirely appropriate name reflecting their waddling gait when quite young. This could also be just a tongue-in-cheek suggestion, and the site where it appeared is not at all authoritative in any way.
So I guess we’ll just have to make do with “chicks” or “nestlings” like the vast majority of birds.
Happy birding.