Gold and Blue Macaw, Adelaide Zoo
No Comments »18th June, 2013; Category: Adelaide Zoo, Non-Australian birds, Parrots and Lorikeets, Zoos
Gold and Blue Macaw, Adelaide Zoo
There are few more striking birds than the magnificent Gold and Blue Macaw.
Today’s photos again feature a non-Australian species and yet another that I’d love to see in its natural habitat, South America. At this stage there is little hope of seeing this species in the wild – unless my grandchildren – who were born Colombia – insist on me taking them to visit their birth country! (I can dream, can’t I?)
This individual is a part of the great bird collection at my home zoo in Adelaide, South Australia. It is featured in a small bird show at the zoo every day. The keeper allows the bird to fly freely around inside the perimeter of the zoo, all the while giving a talk about the species and other parrots. It’s a great educational experience to have a large, spectacular parrot flying just centimetres above the audience seated on the lawn in front of a low stage.
And somewhere I have a print of me holding this bird; it was taken at the zoo some years ago. (I don’t think that they allow the public to hold the bird these days.)
Gold and Blue Macaw, Adelaide Zoo
Brown-throated Conure, Adelaide Zoo
No Comments »14th June, 2013; Category: Adelaide Zoo, Aviaries, Non-Australian birds, Parrots and Lorikeets, Zoos
Brown-throated Conure, Adelaide Zoo
The Brown-throated Conure is found in central and South America. It will often be found in the company of macaws. It feeds on seeds, fruits and flowers but will also raid cultivated crops such as mango and millet. Like many parrots, they congregate in large, noisy communities, especially when feeding and roosting.
I have not seen this species in its natural habitat. These photos were taken earlier this year on a visit to my local zoo in Adelaide, South Australia.
Brown-throated Conure, Adelaide Zoo
Brown-throated Conure, Adelaide Zoo
Yellow-collared Lovebird, Adelaide Zoo
No Comments »28th May, 2013; Category: Adelaide Zoo, Aviaries, Non-Australian birds, Parrots and Lorikeets
Yellow-collared Lovebird, Adelaide Zoo
I must admit that I am not a fan of Lovebirds. I have heard that they can be very aggressive as a cage bird. I am also wary that some will escape from captivity and establish feral populations here in Australia. This has happened with other species over the years and it would mean that they would compete with native species for food and nesting sites.
Despite these feelings, I must admit that the birds shown in my photos today are attractive, so I can understand why some people would want to keep them as pets. These photos were taken through the wire of an aviary in the Adelaide Zoo here in South Australia.
Yellow-collared Lovebirds are native to Tanzania in southern Africa.
Yellow-collared Lovebird, Adelaide Zoo
Macaws in the Adelaide Zoo
No Comments »21st May, 2013; Category: Adelaide Zoo, Aviaries, Non-Australian birds, Parrots and Lorikeets, Zoos
Macaws in the Adelaide Zoo
My home zoo is Adelaide Zoo, along with Monarto Zoo which is a ten minute drive from home. One of the strengths of Adelaide Zoo is its bird collection, mostly of Australian birds.
The zoo also boasts a good collection of non-Australian birds, including several macaw species such as those shown in the photo above. The bird on the left is a Blue and Gold Macaw, while the other is an Hyacinth Macaw. Both of these spectacular parrots are native to South America.
Budgerigar, Adelaide Zoo
Budgerigar, Adelaide Zoo
The small Australian parrot known as the Budgerigar would have to be one of the most popular pet birds in the world. They are easy to keep and are delightful companions, ideal for even small apartments, but equally at home in a large aviary.
This small parrot, however, is a native of the drier inland parts of Australia where it can sometimes form spectacular flock in the thousands. Only on one occasion have I seen this species in large numbers. This was on a visit to a remote farming area in north western Victoria. It was a memorable sight.
I am quite pleased with the photo above because it was taken through the wire netting of one of the aviaries in the Adelaide Zoo.