Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa Freckled Ducks are unusual and seem to be more closely related to swans and geese than ducks. They are uncommon and protected throughout Australia. Freckled Ducks feed on algae, seeds and the green parts of aquatic plants plus a small proportion of aquatic invertebrates. They forage by upending in shallow water, bottom filtering, dabbling and wading along the shore. The dive only to escape or when bathing. Depending upon water conditions Freckled Ducks mainly breed in spring and early summer. View bird
Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membrabaceus The pink “ear” of a Pink-eared Duck refers to the small triangle of pink feathers behind their black eye patches. These have nothing to do with the real ears, which are lower down and covered with feathers. The pink ear is also not a good identifying feature because of its small size and tendency to be invisible in poor light. A better name would be “Zebra Duck” because of the bold black-and-white vertical stripes, or perhaps, “Flute Bill” referencing its peculiar membranous bill, or even, “Clown Duck” by virtue… View bird
Australian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus australis Every autumn the reed beds fall silent as the Australian Reed Warblers head north for the warmer climes of northern Australia, and every spring they burst into life with the return of the songsters. Each male defends his small patch of reeds from neighbouring males with complex songs issued at high volume, at the same time advertising his territory to any females who may be interested. They live on small insects, spiders and other invertebrates found by foraging in the dense undergrowth. Breeding is from September to February, whenever singing… View bird
Common Blackbird Turdus merula Common Blackbirds are among the most successful of the various bird species introduced from Europe by acclimatisation societies in the 19th century. Birds released from Melbourne and Adelaide have spread over most of south-eastern Australia including Tasmania. While gardeners tend to dislike blackbirds because of the ‘mess’ resulting from their ground foraging habits, their beautiful songs have added much to our aural landscape. Common Blackbirds are ground foragers and favour a wide variety of natural and human generated landscapes where leaf litter is abundant and dense shrubs are available for… View bird
Musk Duck Biziura lobata An unusual and uncommon species, closely related to the stifftail ducks (e.g. Blue-billed duck). A heavy bodied duck which sits low in the water. The male is very noticeable when displaying (see photo above). The tail is held upright, the neck bent to show the remarkable circular wattle under the chin, and there is much splashing, and kicking of the feet to give a “ker-plonk” sound sometimes accompanied by a whistle. Musk ducks favour deep water where they dive for crustaceans, aquatic insects, fish, and amphibians, together with a small… View bird
Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus The Brown Goshawk is a robust predator of vertebrates, such as young rabbits and birds. Their prey is usually less than 500g but occasionally up to 1kg. They also take arthropods and carrion. They breed as solitary pairs in spring and early summer. The nest is a platform of sticks; the clutch size is usually three eggs with an average of 1.6 to 1.7 surviving to fledging. The species is partly migratory in the south, moving to northern areas of Australia in the winter months. View bird
Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata Magpie Geese thrive in northern Australia, but were once widespread in eastern Australia as well. A breeding colony was recorded in Bool’s Lagoon but by 1911 had vanished under pressure from hunting and the establishment of pastoral leases. Shortly after proclamation of Bool Lagoon as a reserve in 1968, a breeding population was successfully re-established, not without several difficulties and setbacks. Currently they are doing well. Magpie Geese are an unusual species with many characteristics thought to be primitive, so much so that it is placed in its own… View bird
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii The Greater Crested Tern is Australia’s second largest large tern, resident in South Australia. It feeds mainly on fish but will take squid, crabs, and other aquatic prey. Breeding is from September to December, in large colonies on offshore islands along the entire South Australian coastline. Look for them performing a stately pas de deux (illustrated) as part of their courtship ritual. View bird
Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis Blue-billed ducks belong to the genus Oxyura, the stiff-tailed ducks. The stiff upright tail feathers of the male are distinctive enabling the birds to be identified from a long way off. These tail feathers also demonstrate the Blue-bill’s close relationship to the Musk Duck. Blue-bills feed on aquatic plants and insects, also molluscs, crustaceans and arachnids. They obtain most of their food by diving and by swimming under water. They spend little time on land. Breeding occurs mainly in spring and summer, marked by a spectacular display by the male…. View bird