Lyrebirds, Adelaide Zoo
Superb Lyrebird, Adelaide Zoo
I have only seen the Superb Lyrebird in its natural environment on a handful of occasions. On each occasion they were fleeting views not conducive to good photos. That is one of the reasons I enjoy visiting places like the Adelaide Zoo. They not only have a wide range of Australian birds on display in their collection, they also have two large, well maintained walk-through aviaries. In this way I am able to get close-up photos of birds I normally would struggle to shoot.
The Lyrebirds in Adelaide Zoo are quite used to hundreds of people strolling through their home every day. They just go about finding their food in the leaf litter of the aviary, quite oblivious of one’s presence only a metre or two away. I’m always pleased to get good views of the Lyrebirds whenever I visit this zoo. You see – there are no Lyrebirds in the wild here in South Australia. I have to travel by car for at least 8 – 10 hours to find one in the mountains near Melbourne, or 14 – 15 hours travel to near Sydney. Adelaide Zoo is a mere 55 minutes away from my home.
On the other hand, seeing a captive bird in an aviary doesn’t quite have the thrill of seeing one in its normal environment.
Superb Lyrebird, Adelaide Zoo
Figbird, Adelaide Zoo
Figbird (female), Adelaide Zoo
The Adelaide Zoo has a very strong collection of Australian birds, including some that are rare and endangered. It also includes a number of species I have yet to see in their natural environment. Observing these birds in the zoo’s aviaries is a good way to become familiar with these birds before heading out to see them. The two walk-through aviaries are also a great opportunity to hone my photographic skills. Being able to get close to the birds is a great advantage.
One species in the collection which I have yet to add to my Australian list is the Figbird. There are two races: the Green Figbird (shown here) and the Yellow Figbird. It is a bird of the rainforests and woodlands in northern and eastern Australia where it is common. It also occurs in PNG and Indonesia. Its preferred food is fruit, hence the name.
The top photo is a close-up of a female who later sat on her nest – shown in the photo below. The third photo is a very poor, out of focus shot of the male. I only include it to show the difference in plumage colours between the male and the female. Next time I walk through that aviary I will try to get a photo which is in focus.
Further reading:
- Adelaide Zoo – articles from my archives
Figbird (female) on nest, Adelaide Zoo
Poor photo of a male Figbird, Adelaide Zoo
Flamingos, Adelaide Zoo
Chilean Flamingo, Adelaide Zoo
The Adelaide Zoo has only two flamingos in its good collection of birds. The one shown in the photo above is the Chilean Flamingo.The other one is the Greater Flamingo, shown below.
The Chilean Flamingo is found in many parts of South America, while the Greater Flamingo is found in parts of Africa, Asia and Europe.
Further reading:
- Chilean Flamingo – read more about this species on the zoo’s site
- Greater Flamingo – more information on the Adelaide Zoo site
Greater Flamingo, Adelaide Zoo
Bush Stone-curlew
Bush Stone-curlew, Adelaide Zoo
The Bush Stone-curlew is a species I have yet to see in its natural environment. They are not all that common here in South Australia, so I was pleased to see and photograph this bird recently in the Pelican enclosure at Adelaide Zoo. The white thing pointing at it in the top left hand corner of the photo is actually the beak of a pelican.
Bush Stone-curlews are found in the western half of Western Australia, across northern Australia and in eastern and south eastern Australia. In some parts of their former range they are now uncommon to rare in areas settled for farming or urban sprawl except in Brisbane suburbs where they seem to thrive.
Australian Pelicans at Adelaide Zoo
Australian Pelican, Adelaide Zoo
The Australian Pelican is found throughout Australia where there is suitable habitat. They prefer large expanses of waters such as lakes, reservoirs, swamps, wetlands and rivers. The water can be fresh, brackish or saline. They are found in both coastal and inland areas where there is suitable habitat.
They tend to be highly nomadic and will respond to flooding. For example, Lake Eyre in northern South Australia fills occasionally from Queensland floods, and this will stimulate the migration of hundreds and even thousands of birds. During these events they can breed in their thousands, dispersing across Australia when the waters recede and the lake becomes a dry salt lake again.
These captive birds at Adelaide Zoo are a good subject for practising one’s photographic skills.
Further Reading:
Australian Pelican, Adelaide Zoo
Australian Pelican, Adelaide Zoo