Pied Heron
Pied Heron, Adelaide Zoo
Pied Herons are found in the northern parts of Australia, from far north Western Australia through coastal Northern Territory and coastal Queensland. I haven’t had the delight of birding in this part of Australia yet, so I have to rely on zoo collections to get photos of this beautiful species. It is also found in Papua New Guinea and parts of Indonesia.
The preferred habitats of Pied Herons include rivers, mangroves, wetlands, mud flats, lakes and lagoons.
UPDATE: you can now buy the above image on various items, including coffee mugs – just click here. This site also has many other items for sale, including shirts, aprons, placemats, keyrings and much more. Many feature bird photos first shown here on Trevor’s Birding.
Pied Heron, Adelaide Zoo
Pied Imperial-Pigeon
Pied Imperial-pigeon in walk through aviary at Adelaide Zoo
The beautiful Pied Imperial-pigeon is found in the mangroves, rainforests and woodlands of coastal northern Australia. I haven’t been birding in that part of Australia yet, so I was pleased to get these good photos of the species in one of the walk-through aviaries at Adelaide Zoo recently.
These pigeons are commuters. They nest and roost on the islands of northern Australia and daily commute to the mainland to feed on fruit in the rainforests and mangroves. They nest in the mangrove trees of the islands. They are also present in PNG and Indonesia. Many populations of these pigeons are also migratory, moving between Australia, PNG and Indonesia.
Further reading:
- Adelaide zoo website
- Pigeons and doves – archived articles about pigeons and doves
- Pizzey, G, The field guide to the birds of Australia.
Pied Imperial-pigeon in walk through aviary at Adelaide Zoo
White-headed Pigeon
White-headed Pigeon, walk-through aviary, Adelaide Zoo
The White-headed Pigeon is found along coastal Queensland and New South Wales in tropical and sub-tropical rainforests and scrubland. I know very little about this species because I’ve never seen it in its natural environment. One day I’ll make it to Queensland and see it.
In the meantime, I have to be satisfied with these photos taken in the walk-through aviary at Adelaide Zoo. It’s certainly a beautiful bird.
White-headed Pigeon, walk-through aviary, Adelaide Zoo
White-headed Pigeon, walk-through aviary, Adelaide Zoo
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