Whooping Cranes
Yes – this blog is supposed to be about Australian birds, I know.
This evening, however, our local ABC Television station showed a programme called “Flying Home” about Whooping Cranes. Scientists are trying to save this endangered species by showing them a new migration route from Wisconsin to Florida. They use various techniques to help the birds act as normally as possible. By training them to follow several ultra light planes to a wintering area in Florida they hope to eventually establish a range of Whooping Crane colonies in separate parts of the country, thus enhancing the survival chances of this species.
It was an interesting documentary with some good photography; what else would one expect from the BBC Natural History Unit? The programme also makes a case against the annual shooting of thousands of Sandhill Cranes, which are not endangered.
The narration, however, was rather appalling. Whoever wrote it deserves a few basic lessons, like being forced to view several hundred hours of David Attenborough’s work.
It is natural to make comparisons with the beautiful semi-fictional movie length “Fly Away Home” which features Canada Geese. While the techniques and photography in both are quite brilliant, that’s where the similarities end. The movie has a tension that makes it compelling viewing. This documentary was, at times, dull enough to induce yawns.
Related article:
UPDATE: these cranes have been in the news again – for the wrong reasons. Recent storms have killed some of the cranes. Read about it here.
Bird Word: Duetting
- Duetting: a male and a female of the same species singing together, usually in response to each other, and with different song patterns. The Magpie Lark and the Pied Butcherbird are good examples of this song pattern.
The duet song of several Australian species is something one cannot really do justice to in words. One has to experience it to fully appreciate the beauty of such a song. When I first heard a pair of Pied Butcherbirds near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia many years ago I couldn’t believe I was hearing two birds singing a duet. It was magnificent. One field guide I use describes the calls as “superb slow, flute like, mellow notes.”
The Magpie Larks that frequent our garden are not quite in the same league but are beautiful nevertheless.
Magpie Lark
Great Birding Moments # 28 Painted Button-Quail
This great birding moment was quite unexpected. A few days ago were invited over to our friends’ farm for a meal. We had just driven out of our driveway and headed up the hill towards their farm; it’s about a half hour’s drive. We’d driven several kilometres when I had to slow down for a sharp bend in the road. As we approached the corner I observed two birds sitting in the shade of a roadside tree. I didn’t immediately identify them but as I steered around them I was aware that it was a pair of Quail.
Now quails are a family of birds I don’t often see, so just around the corner I was able to do a quick U-turn and go back for a good look. This was quite safe as it is a quiet country road. They were still sitting there in the middle of the road and I was able to pull up about 2 metres from them. It was a male and female – I assume a pair – of Painted Button-Quail, only the third time I had ever seen this bird.
They stood there for about a minute before skulking off into the grass and undergrowth on the side of the road. This made us a few minutes late for our dinner engagement, but it didn’t matter as our hosts weren’t ready when we arrived anyway.
Of course I was annoyed I didn’t have my camera with me. Will I ever learn? So to see a photo of this beautiful species you will have to click on the link below.
Link:
- Photo of a Painted Button-Quail – from the Australasian Bird Image Database.
Bird Word: Courting Display
- Courting display: a display by either a male or female bird, or both, used to attract a mate with the aim of breeding.
Different species have different ways of attracting a mate. Some take on very attractive plumage, as in the male of the blue wrens of Australia. Others have elaborate displays with their feathers, such as the Lyrebird. Some build special structures like the Bowerbirds.
Some have a simple display of fanned tail feathers. We often see our resident male Crested Pigeons displaying by fanning out their tail feathers in an attempt to attract the female. Yet other species use song to attract a potential mate.
The courting display is a special behaviour seen from time to time in birds and is usually followed, if successful, by nest building and breeding.
Bird Word: Diurnal
- Diurnal: a bird species that is active by day, the opposite of nocturnal.
Most birds are diurnal. Which is just as well because I like my sleep. That’s probably why I don’t see many owls or nightjars and other nocturnal birds. Most birds are very active during the day and I find them irresistible to watch as they go about their daily activities. Regular readers of this blog will already know that I am constantly on the lookout for interesting bird happenings in our garden. I love sharing these events with all who read this blog.
Another benefit in the fact that most birds are diurnal is that it makes bird photography so much easier. That’s a lazy birder speaking. It could also account for why I do not have many photos of birds taken at night. In fact, the tally stands at zero.
I do have a lovely photo of a nocturnal bird however. A friend showed me where a Spotted Nightjar was roosting, and I managed to get the photo shown below.
Spotted Nightjar