Feeding time at the zoo

Red-collared Lorikeets at Adelaide Zoo

I am quite familiar with the Rainbow Lorikeets we have here in South Australia. They are also found in many parts of the eastern states. For example, the noise of roosting flocks of lorikeets in the trees in the street where my son lives in Artarmon on the North Shore of Sydney can be quite deafening at dusk. From time to time we have small flocks settle in the trees on our five acre block, but more often we see and hear them darting across the house at speed. In my experience, numbers can vary from a few – perhaps two or three – through to many dozens – or more.

A distinct race of the Rainbow Lorikeet is the Red-collared Lorikeet which I have featured in today’s photos. They are just as colourful and just as gregarious; their noise when feeding can be deafening. On a recent visit to Adelaide Zoo I timed my visit to the walk through aviary perfectly, more by accident than design, I might add. The keeper had just fed the birds in this aviary and the lorikeets were having a feast – and letting everyone know about it. Their feeding frenzy made it easy to get some great photos.

Red-collared Lorikeets are found across the northern parts of Australia.

Further reading:

Red-collared Lorikeet at Adelaide Zoo

Red-collared Lorikeets at Adelaide Zoo

Red-collared Lorikeet at Adelaide Zoo

Magpies up close and personal

Australian Magpie (black backed)

Sydney Trip June 2011

Over recent days I’ve been writing about the birds seen on the return trip from a holiday with family in Sydney. Today I want to show a series of photos taken at the Malleefowl Rest Area south east of Mildura. we had stopped for an afternoon cuppa and a light snack of biscuits. we had just sat down at the picnic table and we were immediately accosted by a family of Australian Magpies (ssp black backed), including several juveniles from last season’s breeding.

The whole family gathered on and around the table waiting for handouts of whatever food we had in our picnic basket.  I guess they are used to being fed generously by any humans who happen to drop in to their domain. If we hadn’t been smart about covering the biscuit tin they would have helped themselves.

I took the opportunity to get some very close up photos of the magpies as they sat nearby or on the table less than a metre from me. Some – like the one above – are decidedly nasty looking.

Tomorrow I’ll show several more photos.

You can buy one of my photos of a magpie on a coffee mug – click here.

Australian Magpie (black backed)

Australian Magpie (black backed)