Trevor's Birding

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

Namaqua Dove, Adelaide Zoo

No Comments »12th June, 2013; Category: Adelaide Zoo, Aviaries, Non-Australian birds, Pigeons and Doves

Namaqua Dove, Adelaide Zoo

The Namaqua Dove shown in today’s photo was taken in an aviary in the Adelaide Zoo, South Australia.

The natural habitat of this species is southern Africa. It can be found in open woodlands, grassy plains and scrubs, mostly feeding on the ground. Like many doves and pigeons, it makes a flimsy nest and usually lays two eggs.

Although they are found in Ethiopia, I did not get a chance to see this species on my visit there a few years ago.

Red-billed Fire Finch, Adelaide Zoo

No Comments »10th June, 2013; Category: Adelaide Zoo, Aviaries, Finches, Non-Australian birds, Zoos

Red-billed Fire Finch, Adelaide Zoo

The beautiful Red-billed Fire Finch is found in southern Africa. The above photo was taken in our local zoo in Adelaide, South Australia.

The first time I saw this species was in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. You can read about that experience, and see the photos taken at the time by clicking here and here.

Red-billed Fire Finch, Adelaide Zoo

Beautiful Mistletoebird

1 Comment »8th June, 2013; Category: Bush birds, Garden birds, Murray Bridge, Nests

Mistletoebird

One of my favourite birds is the colourful little Mistletoebird, shown in today’s photo. I can’t say it is a resident species in our garden, but it is a frequent visitor. In our district here in Murray Bridge, South Australia, it is a widespread species occurring in small numbers. They are usually only seen singly, occasionally two.

Today my wife and I were working in our garden and a male landed briefly in a nearby Eremophila bush. It stayed only a few seconds before flying off. The male, as shown in the photo, is far more brightly coloured than the female. In the female, the red is a washed out colour and only present under the tail. She also lacks the dark blue-black colour of the male, being mainly plain brown instead.

As I didn’t have my camera with me today, the photo shown above was taken some years ago, also in our garden.

This species has a special place in our records for our home block. Over the 30 years we have lived here we have planted hundreds of trees, shrubs and bushes. The mistletoebird was the first species to make a nest in a tree we had planted. At least – it was the first one we noticed.

Grenadier Weaver, Adelaide Zoo

No Comments »30th May, 2013; Category: Adelaide Zoo, Aviaries, Finches, Non-Australian birds, Zoos

Grenadier Weaver, Adelaide Zoo

There are many spectacular and beautiful birds in Africa. The weaver family of birds are among the more colourful and interesting of them. Adelaide Zoo in South Australia – my home zoo – has a small collection of Grenadier Weavers, as shown in today’s photos. The colourful male is a spectacular bird indeed, especially when in breeding plumage which ranges from bright orange through to red.

Of peculiar interest in relation to this species is a closely related species, the Red Bishopbird. This member of the finch family, also native to Africa, is a commonly kept aviary bird. In the 1920s some of these either escaped or were released from captivity not more than 20km from where I live. A small population survived along the banks of the River Murray for some years, and they were even featured in some earlier field guides. This small population has obviously died out as there have been no reports of any birds since the late 1950s.

Grenadier Weaver, Adelaide Zoo