Emus at Monarto Zoo, South Australia
Emu, Monarto Zoo, South Australia
The Emu is arguably the most easily recognised birds in Australia, and I would guess that many non-Australians would also be able to identify one. It is our largest native bird and is flightless. It is found in most parts of mainland Australia but not in Tasmania. These days however its occurrence in built up areas is very limited, but it can still be common in grasslands, farming areas and national parks.
Last year on a visit to our local Monarto Zoo (just ten minutes’ drive away) I managed to photograph several cooperative Emus on the various walks we undertook. This was to fill a gap in my digital photo collection; for some reason I hadn’t taken any until then.
Further reading:
Emu, Monarto Zoo, South Australia
Emu, Monarto Zoo, South Australia
Emu, Monarto Zoo, South Australia
Black Kite at Monarto Zoo, South Australia
Black Kite, Monarto Zoo, South Australia
Last spring my son and his family came over to South Australia for a short holiday. During that time we all went to the local open range Monarto Zoo. This zoo is a part of the Adelaide Zoological Gardens and we like visiting on a regular basis, especially seeing it is a ten minute drive from home here in Murray Bridge. Being Life Members we also like to get value from our tickets.
On this visit last year the weather was beautiful with plenty of sunshine and a pleasant breeze. The bird life was also very cooperative.
I took the above photo of a Black Kite soaring low overhead as we went on one of the walking trails in the zoo. It came low and also slowly enough to get a reasonable photo.
Black Kites are widespread and common in the Murraylands region. Quite often – almost daily – we have one or two glide quietly over our house. In other parts of the town I have also seen small flocks of up to about five soaring near each other. Several years ago I saw about fifty on the ground or gliding low overhead near a small abattoirs on the eastern edge of town.
Further reading:
- A visit to Monarto Zoo
- A visit to Monarto Zoo – with comments on the birds
- Ostriches in South Australia
- Birds of Monarto Zoological Park
Crested Pigeons, Botanic Park, Adelaide
Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide
Crested Pigeons are one of my favourite birds. We have a number resident in our garden and they have even nested several times within a few metres of our house. When the breeding season has been successful I have seen up to 35 Crested Pigeons sitting on the power lines running past our property. Elsewhere in Murray Bridge I have even seen about 60 in a loose flock sitting on power lines along the road.
Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide
Crested Pigeons are widespread throughout Australia except for the driest parts of the inland, southern Victoria and they are absent from Tasmania. They are also largely absent from the northern most parts of Australia. This distribution is changing and some Crested Pigeons can be found in the Melbourne region, for example, something that was rare as recent as a decade ago.
Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide
Crested Pigeons are ground feeders and can often be seen feeding in parks in loose flocks numbering in the dozens. This is the case in Botanic Park between the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and the Adelaide Zoo where the photos on this post were taken.
Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide
The birds in these photos were busy displaying to one another, more interested in breeding than in my wife and I having afternoon tea in beautiful park on a lovely spring afternoon.
Further reading:
- Crested Pigeon nesting
- Crested Pigeons by the dozens
- Birds in the garden plus one reptile
- A panic of pigeons
- Crested Pigeons as pet birds (one of my most popular articles)
- A crested Pigeon caught by surprise
Botanic Park, Adelaide
Adelaide Rosellas
Adelaide Rosella
From time to time we have the local Adelaide sub species of the Crimson Rosella in our garden here in Murray Bridge. This morning I observed two of them in the mallee scrub at the back of our house. They were in the company of the resident Mallee Ringneck parrots until they flew off.
Adelaide Rosellas are found in the Mt. Lofty Ranges and mid north of South Australia, as well as suburban Adelaide. The Crimson Rosellas are much brighter in colour (see photo below) while the Adelaide sub species has a washed out orange colouring on the front feathers. Throughout their range there is considerable colour variation in the intensity of the orange.
Here in Murray Bridge, some 75km south east of Adelaide, this species is near the eastern edge of their range. Consequently I only observe them several times a year. Normally I have to go 10-15 kilometres to the west to see them on a regular basis.
Crimson Rosella, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
New bird species for our garden list
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
I was sitting outside yesterday morning doing some reading. (Oh the joys of retirement.)
I was suddenly aware of an unusual bird call. After having lived for over 25 years in the same house one’s ears become attuned to what bird calls are normal for this area and anything unusual immediately gets my attention.
I walked warily around the corner of the house to find two Sulphur-crested Cockatoos in the large mallee tree next to our garage. This cockatoo is a common bird in many parts of Australia, but this was the first time I’d seen this species in our garden. After so many years I don’t often get the chance to add a new species to my garden list.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
After I managed several photos they decided they’d posed enough for me and flew off to the eucalyptus trees in our neighbour’s front yard. Later in the morning I heard them squawking raucously as they flew off.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are very common in the Adelaide Hills and the Adelaide metropolitan area but I’ve never recorded them here in Murray Bridge. The nearest I’ve seen them is in Strathalbyn, about a half hour drive SW of here.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo