Australian Birds

Excellent shots Jane!! So glad you were able to visit Australia and New Zealand. All the birds are beautiful; I love the Doves and Comb-crested Jacana!

Wonderful series, Jane. A lot of the birds you saw aren't in my area. I just love the Rose-crowned Fruit Dove. And you are so right about the noise of the Rainbow Lorikeets - has to be heard to be believed, eh? Both the Butcherbirds and the Australian Magpies are magnificent songsters. Did you get a chance to hear them?

Holy moly! that's a lot of vacation birds. congrats!

Wow! Lovely photos! I think I would like to have a dove as well as pink-eared ducks! It is not too late to send those for Christmas, Mags ;o)

Happy Birthday, Marna!!!

Thanks Kim!

Oh gosh - You Aussies have such incredible birds !! We've got great birds in USA, but nothing like your natives.
When we have snow and ice cover, the birds come in to the feeders like a swarm of bees - really enjoy them. The funny thing is that I have several cats outside and they NEVER catch a bird !! In the spring when the fledglings are just getting out, one will often end up on the ground. The amazing thing is that a couple cats will go over to it and sort of stand guard - when I go out there and put the baby back in the tree, I always praise them and give them a bit of shrimp. I find this amazing, but the cats are familiar with my small birds in my greenhouse and KNOW that I'd blister their furry butts if they bothered those birds so I guess, this awareness is used in the yard as well.
The Galah does sell for over $2000 in the States and is usually not readily available. All of the cockatoos command a pretty high price - the hand raised ones are just wonderful - I've had my Umbrella aka White cockatoo for 22 years and enjoy her antics so much.
Love the doves and pigeons - have a large flight cage (12' x 24') that has a sheltered are on one end that protects the birds from the extreme cold and wind. Have several breeds of "fancy" pigeons but nothing like what you have as natives.
Now, about that Pink Eyed Duck - the bill looks so unique - what special feeding techniques does the PED have that uses this beak?
And - like that impressive Brush Turkey, I guess the PED would not be able to survive in my area either........drats !!
One of my life's desire is to travel thru Australia, taking enough time to really see the country - this thread is really reinforcing that wish.

Thanks everyone. Our trip really was a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience; and we had such a great time. If I saw something with wings, I tried to snap a photo or two of it. Even the Aussie flies were more colorful than our.

What part of Austrlia did you visit Jane? Great pics.
This little fellow has just started to visit us, I call him stubby because he has lost his tail feathers.

Hi Hel. He's a beauty Hel. Hopefully, he sticks around for you.

As for Australia, we managed to visit every state but WA. We started off in Cairns and stayed there for 3 nights. While we were in Cairns, we did a day trip to Green Island and another day trip up to Kuranda. From Cairns, we flew to Ayres Rock for 1 night, and then to Alice Spring for another 1 night stay. Next we flew up to Darwin; but we didn't actually stay there. Instead, we drove to Kakadu and spent 2 nights there. We visited the Yellow Waters Billabong area of the park; but I wish we had stayed longer and visited the rain forest area too. From Kakadu, we drove back to Darwin and then flew down to Melbourne for 3 nights. While we were in Melbourne, we went to Philip Island to see the little penguin parade. The fairy penguins were so cute; but they didn't allow photos of them. From Melbourne, we flew to Hobard for 2 nights and visited the old prison at Port Arthur and the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park. Next, we flew to Sydney and stayed 3 nights. Of all the places we visited in Australia, I think Sydney was my favorite city.

From Sydney, we flew to New Zealand and visited both the South and North Island, with 1-3 night stays in Queenstown, Mt. Cook, Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorua and Auckland.

It was a wonderful trip; but a bit exhausting. I think we covered something like 20,000 miles in the month we were there.

Amazingly beautiful !!!

Boy, I'm worn out just reading that!

Jane, his tail has grown back and he is still around with a mate.
Where are all our Aussie bird's you fella's?

Absolutly wonderful "vacation" birds! How neat that you got to go see them! I love seeing the pics of them, and Hel, that formerly tail-less one is a stunner! What is it's name?

I first called him Stubby because of his tail but have to rename him now,
how about Roscoe & Rosey Rosella?

Very pretty hel. Looks like a Roscoe to me with that face. :-)

Yeah I was thinking Roscoe too. :~) He's very beautiful.

That is a good name for him. He sure is beautiful. I would love to have something that beautiful coming to my yard...

Such beauties!!