Tag Archives: Birdwatching

When I Consider! – Woodpecker

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Rufous-bellied Woodpecker (Dendrocopos hyperythrus) by Nikhil Devasar

Rufous-bellied Woodpecker (Dendrocopos hyperythrus) by Nikhil Devasar

When I Consider!

When I Consider!

Evidence From Biology

Consider the probability of all of the following characteristics evolving simultaneously into an effectively functioning system in the woodpecker:

1. Its beak is connected to its skull with a resilient shock-absorbing tissue that is not found in any other bird.

2. The beak is much harder than the beaks of other birds, enabling it to bang away a hundred times a minute without hurting itself.

3. The tongue is barbed in most of the 200+ species and is about four times longer than the beak. In certain species the tongue wraps around the back of the bird’s skull, enabling it to reach deep into tree trunks and remove insects.

4. A sticky coating on some woodpecker tongues helps them grab insects.

5. Its tail feathers are constructed so that they are stiff enough to help brace against trees as it climbs.

6. Its keen senses of smell and hearing help detect insects crawling around under the bark of the trees.

7. It short legs and powerful claws are uniquely designed to help it climb tree trunks.

The engineering behind such a technological wonder as the woodpecker boggles our minds. Try to imagine the obstacles the first bird, which was trying to turn into a woodpecker, would have had to overcome!

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. (Psalms 145:15-17 KJV)

From A Closer Look at the Evidence by Kleiss, November 6.

“The woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks are a family, Picidae, of near-passerine birds. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia and New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. Most species live in forests or woodland habitats, although a few species are known to live in treeless areas such as rocky hillsides and deserts.

The Picidae are just one of the eight living families in the order Piciformes. Members of the order Piciformes, such as the jacamars, puffbirds, barbets, (also Asian and African barbets), toucans and honeyguides, have traditionally been thought to be very closely related to the woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks. More recently, DNA sequence analyzes have confirmed this view.[1]”

“Members of the family Picidae have strong bills for drilling and drumming on trees and long sticky tongues for extracting food.[2] Woodpecker bills are typically longer, sharper and stronger than the bills of piculets and wrynecks; however their morphology is very similar. The bill’s chisel-like tip is kept sharp by the pecking action in birds that regularly use it on wood. Species of woodpecker and flicker that use their bills in soil or for probing as opposed to regular hammering tend to have longer and more decurved bills. Due to their smaller bill size, many piculets and wrynecks will forage in decaying wood more often than woodpeckers. The long sticky tongues, which possess bristles, aid these birds in grabbing and extracting insects deep within a hole of a tree. It had been reported that the tongue was used to spear grubs, but more detailed studies published in 2004 have shown that the tongue instead wraps around the prey before being pulled out.[3]

Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) by Reinier Munguia

Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) by Reinier Munguia

“The diet of woodpeckers consists mainly of insects and their grubs taken from living and dead trees, and other arthropods, along with fruit from live trees, nuts and sap both from live trees. Their role ecologically is thereby keeping trees healthy by keeping them from suffering mass infestations.The family is noted for its ability to acquire wood-boring grubs using their bills for hammering, but overall the family is characterized by its dietary flexibility, with many species being both highly omnivorous and opportunistic. The insect prey most commonly taken are insects found inside tree trunks, whether they are alive or rotten wood and in crevices in bark on trees. These include beetles and their grubs, ants, termites, spiders,and caterpillars. These may be obtained either by gleaning or more famously by excavating wood. Having hammered a hole into the wood the prey is excavated by a long barbed tongue. The ability to excavate allows woodpeckers to obtain tree sap, an important source of food for some species. Most famously the sapsuckers, (genus Sphyrapicus ) feed in this fashion, but the technique is not restricted to these and others such as the Acorn Woodpecker also feed in this way. It was once thought that the technique was restricted to the New World, but Old World species such as the Arabian Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker also feed in this way.[2]”Wikipedia”

See Also:
When I Consider! – Woodpecker and Bones

Birds of the Bible – Jesus at the Sea

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Galilee Shoreline From Above (BiblePlaces.com)

Galilee Shoreline From Above (BiblePlaces.com)

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. (Matthew 13:1 NKJV)

While working on another article this week, I found and used the above verse, but the thought of it intrigued me. Many of us like to sit by the sea shore and observe what is going on. What did Jesus see as far as birds as He sat there? I decided to investigate it more and here is some of the information discovered.

The commentaries provided these thoughts about that day.

“By the sea-side. The sea-shore is that of the Sea of Galilee, probably near Capernaum, at the northwest corner of the lake.” (People’s New Testament)

Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) by Nikhil Devasar

Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) by Nikhil Devasar

“Sat by the seaside … Jesus came out of the stuffy house and took his seat …along the shore with the crowds stretched up and down, a picturesque scene.” (Robertson’s Word Pictures)

“The sea-side – This was the Sea of Tiberias. The multitude stood on the shore near to him, so that he could be easily heard. He went into a ship – that is, a boat; and sat down to address them. Few spectacles could be more interesting than a vast crowd on the hanks of a smooth and tranquil sea – an emblem of his instructions – and the Son of God addressing them on the great interests of eternity.” (Albert Barnes’ Notes on The Bible)

“Went Jesus out of the house – This was the house of Peter. See Matt 17:24.
Sat by the sea side – The sea of Galilee, on the borders of which the city of Capernaum was situated.” (Adam Clark’s Commentary on the Bible)

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) by W Kwong

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) by W Kwong

“Mat 13:1  The same day Jesus went out of the house,…. Where he had been preaching, and working miracles: where this house was, is not certain; it seems to have been in one of the cities of Galilee, probably Capernaum, since that was by the sea coast: the reason of his going out of the house was, either to converse with his mother and brethren, as they desired; or to withdraw himself from company, and take some refreshment by the sea side; or because it would not hold the people, and therefore he quitted it for a more convenient place. The time he went out of it, was the same day he had cast the devil out of the man blind and dumb, and had delivered himself so freely concerning the Scribes and Pharisees, who had blasphemously ascribed that miracle to the assistance of Satan; and the same day his mother and brethren came to see him, and speak to him.

Little Owl (Athene noctua) by Nikhil Devasar

Little Owl (Athene noctua) by Nikhil Devasar

And sat by the sea side; either as weary, and for his refreshment, or in order to preach to the people; for, Mark says, “he began again to teach by the sea side”, Mark 4:1. This was the sea of Galilee, sometimes called the sea of Tiberias.” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible).

“3. Where he preached this sermon.
(1.) His meeting-place was the sea-side. He went out of the house (because there was no room for the auditory) into the open air. It was pity but such a Preacher should have had the most spacious, sumptuous, and convenient place to preach in, that could be devised, like one of the Roman theatres; but he was now in his state of humiliation, and in this, as in other things, he denied himself the honours due to him; as he had not a house of his own to live in, so he had not a chapel of his own to preach in. By this he teaches us in the external circumstances of worship not to covet that which is stately, but to make the best of the conveniences which God in his providence allots to us. When Christ was born, he was crowded into the stable, and now to the sea-side, upon the strand, where all persons might come to him with freedom. He that was truth itself sought no corners (no adyta), as the pagan mysteries did. Wisdom crieth without, Proverbs 1:20; John 13:20.” (Matthew Henry Commentary)

Another verse states:

But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea (Mark 3:7 NKJV)

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) by Nikhil

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) by Nikhil

“Withdrew

Mark alone notes no less than eleven occasions on which Jesus retired from his work, in order to escape his enemies or to pray in solitude, for rest, or for private conference with his disciples. See Mark 1:12; Mark 3:7; 6:31, 6:46;  7:24,  7:31;  9:2;  10:1;  14:34.” (Vincent’s Word Studies)

“Mar 3:7  But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea,…. Knowing their evil designs against him, he departed out of the synagogue, and city of Capernaum; and taking his disciples with him, he went to the shore of the sea of Galilee; not out of fear, but because his time was not yet come, and he had more work to do:” (Gill’s Exposition)

From the above you can see what was going on, but I wanted to know what birds Jesus might have seen. Again, I couldn’t find a list for just this area, but here is some of what is there now.

“Israel is a bird-watcher’s paradise, with some of the best bird-watching sites in the world. Although it is one of the smallest countries in the world, Israel’s Checklist of Birds includes 494 species. Just for comparison, the checklists of the world’s two largest countries, Russia and Canada, have 697 and 625 species, respectively. The checklist for the Lower 48 States of the US numbers 908 species – just under twice the size of Israel’s – but then we’re talking about an area 386 times larger than Israel! The bottom line is this: in just a couple of hours, you can spot a wider variety of birds here than almost anywhere in the world. The bird-watching season in Israel begins in late August and ends in early June. There are birds that spend the winter here, birds that are only here for the summer, birds that pass through during the spring and fall migration seasons, and birds that can be found here all year round.” (Sing Israel)

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) by Daves BirdingPix

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) by Daves BirdingPix

“Leaving the 2,000 meter-high and often snow-capped peak of Mount Hermon and heading south along the volcanic plateau of the Golan, spectacular views of the Sea of Galilee provide a stunning backdrop to search for Black Vulture. Also known as Lake Tiberias, the Sea of Galilee is a vast freshwater lake harboring impressive numbers of wintering Grebes, Pygmy Cormorant, breeding Squacco Heron and a spectacular winter concentration of Whiskered Tern. The surrounding hillsides are full of birds, including Eagle Owl, Little Swift and Long-billed Pipit throughout the year. Patient scanning of the steep-sided wadis in winter may well produce a major prize in the form of a Wallcreeper.” (goisrael.com)

“Sea of Galilee

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) by Daves BirdingPix

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) by Daves BirdingPix

South of the Hula Valley lies the famous Sea of Galilee (a.k.a. Lake Tiberias). Owing to its size it has in the past been difficult to see offshore birds there. How ever, it has become a regular site for Pygmy Cormorant, Great Black–headed and Armenian Gulls. A marsh holds in the northern section of the lake that has good numbers of Squacco Heron, a winter concentration of Whiskered Tern, and breeding Clamorous Reed Warbler. The tamarisk trees harbour a colony of Dead Sea Sparrows. The surrounding hills are good for the elusive Long–billed Pipit. Wadi Amud, to the northwest of the lake, is one of the best known sites for this species and also for the endangered Lesser Kestrel, as well as Eagle Owl, Little Swift, Syrian Woodpecker and good numbers of RockSparrow . The cliff:” of Mt. Arbel, west of the lake, are also good for Long–billed Pipit and a regular winter haunt of Wallcreeper, where several individuals may be seen together. Alpine Accentor is an occasional winter visitor and Radde’s Accentor has been recorded consorting with this species, along with the more regular Dunnock.

See Also:
What’s Special About the Sea of Galilee? by Dr. Donald DeYoung
Sea of Galilee – BiblePlaces.com
Capernaum
List of Birds of Israel

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Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) by Nikhil

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Little Tern

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Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) by Ian

Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) by Ian

Newsletter: 2-7-2010

Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) by Ian

Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) by Ian

The Little Tern is one of two tiny species of Tern found in Australia, the other being the very similar Fairy Tern. In breeding plumage, as in the first photo, the Little Tern is distinguished by having black lores forming a line through the eyes connecting the black cap to the yellow bill and it the bill usually has a black tip. Both species are of a similar size with a length of 20-28cm/8-11in. This bird was photographed in Queensland in October and would have been a member of the local breeding population.

In non-breeding plumage, as in the second photo, both species have white lores but the Little Tern has black primaries and a black bill while the Fairy Tern has grey primaries and a black-tipped bill with a yellowish base. This bird was photographed in New South Wales in January, so it is probably a member of the Asian breeding population that spends the northern winter in Australia. This bird is fishing by hovering in a characteristic posture with the tail bent sharply downwards.

Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) by Ian

Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) by Ian

The third photo was taken two seconds after the second photo, and the bird is taking flight again after an unsuccessful dive. An average Little Tern weights only about 50g./2oz. so it must have hit the water with tremendous impact. It is fishing, as is typical, in shallow water – the whitish reflection in the background is the surf breaking farther out.

The Little Tern has a widespread distribution through Eurasian, Africa and Australasia. In Australia it occurs in northern, eastern and southern coastal areas from Broome to the Yorke Peninsula and in Tasmania. In contrast, the Fairy Tern occurs mainly in western and southern areas of Australia, but the ranges do overlap in Victoria, South Australia and northern Western Australia.

Recent additions to the website include photos of:
Australasian Darter
Chestnut Teal
Rufous Night-Heron
Dusky Woodswallows
Glossy, Australian White and Straw-necked Ibises

Best wishes,
Ian
—
Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: +61-7 4751 3115
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au
Website: http://birdway.com.au

Lee’s Addition:

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. (Matthew 13:1 NKJV)

The Little Tern is in the Laridae Family of the  Charadriiformes Order. This family, Laridae, not only has Terns, but also Noddys, Skimmers, Gulls, and Kittwakes. There are 102 birds in the family. As far a birdwatching goes, that family gives me more fits on trying to ID them. But as small as those Little Terns and the Fairy Terns, I might be able to ID them. But it is a long way to go to see if I could. Good thing Ian is down there to take their photos so we can enjoy them up here.

“This bird breeds on the coasts and inland waterways of temperate and tropical Europe and Asia. It is strongly migratory, wintering in the subtropical and tropical oceans as far south as South Africa and Australia.

The Little Tern breeds in colonies on gravel or shingle coasts and islands. It lays two to four eggs on the ground. Like all white terns, it is defensive of its nest and young and will attack intruders.

Like most other white terns, the Little Tern feeds by plunge-diving for fish, usually from saline environments. The offering of fish by the male to the female is part of the courtship display.

This is a small tern, 21-25 cm long with a 41-47 cm wingspan. It is not likely to be confused with other species, apart from Fairy Tern and Saunders’s Tern, because of its size and white forehead in breeding plumage. Its thin sharp bill is yellow with a black tip and its legs are also yellow. In winter, the forehead is more extensively white, the bill is black and the legs duller. The call is a loud and distinctive creaking noise.” (Wikipedia)

Video of a Little Tern feeding fish to its chicks at the beach by Pedro Rubio

Little Stern from World Bird Guide

Shoebill – Balaenicipitadae Page Updated

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Shoebill by Dan

Shoebill by Dan

We went to the Lowry Park Zoo this week and were able to get some photos of the Shoebill. What an interesting bird. I was amazed at how large they really are. My shots were through a fence, but Keith’s video was taken in a swamp.

Shoebills are in the Balaenicipitadae Family of the Pelicaniformes Order.

“The Shoebill, Balaeniceps rex, also known as Whalehead, is a very large stork-like bird. It derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill.

The Shoebill is a very large bird. The adult is 115-150 cm (45-64 in) tall, 100-140 cm (40-60in) long, 230-260 cm (91-125 in) across the wings and weighs 4 to 7 kg (8.8-15.5 lbs). The adult is mainly grey while the juveniles are browner. It lives in tropical east Africa in large swamps from Sudan to Zambia.”

Interesting Articles about the Shoebill

Shoebill by African Bird Club

Shoebill – Wikipedia

Birds of the Bible – Sunbittern

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Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) by Lee at Lowry Park Zoo 2-4-10

Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) by Lee at Lowry Park Zoo 2-4-10

Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. (Psalms 148:13 KJV)

Today, Dan and I went to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida. I was thrilled to see some of the birds in person that I have been entering into the Birds of the World section. This Sunbittern caught my attention when he spread its wings out into the beautiful display shown below. I could not but think of the Lord’s magnificent creative power, details, and love that He gave His creatures. No, this bird is not specifically named in the Bible, but God’s Glory sure is.

Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) by Lee at Lowry Park Zoo

Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) by Lee at Lowry Park Zoo

The Sunbittern is similar to a heron or bittern because it has a long straight pointed bill, long legs and a thin neck, but it is in the Eurypygidae family of the Eurypygiformes Order. Most likely they are of the same “kind”, but they like to separate them and then declare “convergent evolution” caused them to develop the “same but different.” They totally deny creation by our Creator God.

They are 17-19 inches (43-48 cm) and have “soft, lax flight feathers, which account for the species being almost silent in flight.” (Bird the Definitive Guide, p.208) They make their nests with leaves, grass, mud and she usually lays 2 eggs. Both parents feed the chicks. “Remarkably, the young molt directly into adult plumage, while still in the nest, which is extremely unusual…” They leave in 3-4 weeks. The wings are spread for displaying (to win their sweetheart’s attention) or for defense (to make them look larger), but the Lord also lets them spread their wings so we can enjoy them and behold His Creative designs.

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. (Psalms 104:24 KJV)

Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) Left Wing by Lee at Lowry Park Zoo

Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) Left Wing by Lee at Lowry Park Zoo

All photos can be clicked-on to enlarge.

Cracidae – Chachalacas, Curassows and Guans – Updated

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Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens) by Reinier Munguia

Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens) by Reinier Munguia

I have been updating the Cracidae Family page which includes Chachalacas, Curassows and Guans. They are in the Galliformes Order. That Order not only includes the Cracidaes, but also the Megapodidae (Megapodes), the Numidae (Guineafowl), Odontophoridae (New World Quails) and the Phasianidae (Pheasants, Fowl & Allies).

The Cracidae family are chicken-like birds which are medium to large. They are Neotropical, in that you find them from South California and South Texas down through Mexico, Central and South America. We encountered our first bird in the family at Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge in south Texas. We saw the Plain Chachalaca. (That is the only one in the family we have seen outside of zoos and photos).

Birdwatching – Late January 2010

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Monk Parakeet (myiopsitta-monachus) by Lee

Monk Parakeet (myiopsitta-monachus) by Lee

The last two days have been interesting for birdwatching. I have been sick and we finally were able to get out to see the birds. Today, while getting the mail out of the box, we looked up and saw 3 Sandhill Cranes with a Whooping Crane flying by. Wow! We have been seeing 1 Whooping Crane in with lots of Sandhills lately on the way to Bartow on the same hill side. But to have it fly over our house was amazing. They were headed toward that hill which is about 1.5 miles south of us. (Old Bartow Road)

Palm Warbler - yellow

Palm Warbler - yellow

Yesterday, Dan wanted to check out something on his camera, so we took our cameras and stopped by South Lake Howard Nature Park again. I think he was having “cabin fever” more than me. Most of what we saw were the normal birds for there, only less of them. They cleaned out an area and planted grass, but that “improvement” has not been welcomed by the birds. (nor us birdwatchers either)

What we saw were: Boat-tailed and Common Grackles, White and Glossy Ibises, Anhingas, a White-winged Dove, Monk or Quaker Parakeets building their nests-Condo on the power pole, Palm Warblers (yellow), many Tree Swallows, the Bald Eagle on the tower, Osprey, Turkey Vultures, White Pelicans flying by, Fish Crows, Tri-colored and Little Blue Herons, Eastern Phoebe, Cattle Egrets, and others.

These are mine and Dan’s photos.

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Birds of the Bible – Vulture Eyesight

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Turkey Vulture at Circle B by Lee

Black Vulture (New World Vulture) at Circle B by Lee

In the first Birds of the Bible – Vulture the fact that the vulture was on the “unclean list” and possible why they were on that list. Now, I would like to explore another verse:

There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen: (Job 28:7 KJV)

This is found in a passage that is talking about finding gold and silver underground, as in mining underground. In the darkness, no matter how superb their eyes are, they are ineffective in darkness.

We know that the Lord created everything and what amazing capabilities the eye has.

The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them. (Proverbs 20:12 KJV)

Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) by Nikhil

Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) {Old World} by Nikhil

“The vulture has a very keen eye, and, like the eagle, can see what is on the ground, even when it is very high in the air. This is referred to in the book of Job. “There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen.” It often happens in those countries that almost as soon as an ox, or a horse, or any other large animal has been killed, great multitudes of vultures will gather around, though not one could be seen in the sky before. they seem to fly down from every part of the heavens, and begin to pull and struggle for the flesh of the animal; until in the course of a few hours nothing is left but the bones. We read in Isaiah, “There shall the vultures be gathered, every one with her mate.” This must have been written by one who had seen these birds coming together, as they do in great flocks or companies.” (From The Vulture, Bible Study Tools)

“Vultures have keen eyesight. It is believed they are able to spot a three-foot carcass from four miles away on the open plains. In some species, when an individual sees a carcass it begins to circle above it. This draws the attention of other vultures that then join in.” (From Animals Vulture)

Old World Vultures (Accipitridae) unlike the New World Vultures (Cathartidae), do not have agood sense of smell and therefore do find their carcasses by sight or watching other birds to see what they are doing and have found to eat. Some of the species eat collectively while others use “kleptoparasitism” (stealing from others).

The Lord has created all the birds and has given them fantastic abilities that let them adapt to their role (carrion eaters) He has made for them. How well do we adapt to the ministries or jobs we have to do, even if it is only “taking out the trash?”

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.  (Ecclesiastes 9:10 KJV)

See also:
Vulture Pages

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Bassian Thrush

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Bassian Thrush by Ian

Bassian Thrush by Ian

Newsletter: 1/28/2010

Here’s another bird from the forest of New England, NSW, the Bassian Thrush.

In the Northern Hemisphere, thrushes feature among the best known and most melodious birds of gardens and woodland, such as the Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush and the (North) American Robin. They are so popular that two have been successfully introduced into southeastern Australia: the Blackbird (widespread in southeastern Australia including Tasmania) and the Song Thrush (Melbourne and Geelong).

Ask a non-birder in Australia about native Thrushes, however, and you’d probably draw a blank. In fact there are two on the mainland and a third, the Island Thrush, on Christmas Island. The two mainland ones, the Bassian and the Russet-tailed Thrushes, are very similar and are secretive inhabitants of dense forest, the Bassian in eastern and southern Australia from the Atherton Tableland in northeastern Queensland to Tasmania and the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. The Russet-tailed has a more limited distribution in northeastern Queensland and southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. The ranges of the two species overlap without interbreeding, but they have been treated as separate species and distinct from the Eurasian Scaly Thrush only since 1983 (Ford, J. http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MU9830141.htm ).

Bassian Thrush (Zoothera lunulata) by Ian

Bassian Thrush (Zoothera lunulata) by Ian

In the photographs, this bird can be identified as Bassian by the less rufous colour of the back, particularly the rump and tail, slight longer tail and stronger half-moon patterns on the back. Probably the best field mark are the outer tail feathers which in flight are conspicuously whiter in the Russet-tailed and, if all else fails, altitude comes to the rescue as the Russet-tailed isn’t usually found above 750 metres (this one was at 1,500m). Their songs differ too: the Bassian is rather like the Eurasian Blackbird in tone, while the Russet-tailed has a clear two-note whistle. Unfortunately, neither species is very vocal. It’s probably not surprising that it took so long to separate the species! The name Bassian, I assume, refers to the East Bassian bioregion of coastal southeastern Australia and Tasmania.

Until a couple of centuries ago, the Eurasian Blackbird was a secretive bird of forests until it discovered the delights of gardens and became accustomed to humans. Maybe the same is happening with the Bassian Thrush. This one was near a picnic area and much less shy than normal, and they do turn up in gardens sometimes.

Links:
Eurasian Blackbird
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
American Robin
Island Thrush

Additions to the website include:
More photos of last week’s Superb Lyrebird
Crested Tern
Papuan Frogmouth
Green Pygmy-Goose
Forest Raven

Best wishes,
Ian
—
Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: +61-7 4751 3115
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au
Website: http://birdway.com.au

Lee’s Addition:

(Referring to Springs in the valleys):

By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches.
(Psalms 104:12 NKJV)

The Bassian Thrush is in the Turdidae Family of the Passerformes Order. The family not only includes the Thrushes, but also the Rufous Thrushes, Whistling Thrushes, Ground Thrushes, Bluebirds, Solitaires, Nightingale-Thrushes, Veery, American Robin, Cochoas, Shortwings, and Alethes and others. Quite a large family (183) to say the least.

Birds Displaying

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And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” (Genesis 1:22 NKJV) (Displaying helps)

Here are some more birds displaying. Yesterday the Superb Lyrebird was doing his displaying in Ian’s Bird of the Week.

This video is from BBC wildlife and shows the Bulwer’s Pheasant, Temmincks Tragopan, Himalayan Monal, (Argus Pheasant) – Great Argus, Peacock, all pheasants and the (African) Long-tailed Widowbird.

~ by BBC Wildlife

The Plumed Bird of Paradise is another bird trying to impress the females with his displaying. (They are also known as six-plumed birds of paradise, due to their six head quills. These birds were featured prominently in the BBC series Planet Earth.)

The King Bird of Paradise – the smallest of the family.

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Displaying Superb Lyrebird

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Superb Lyrebird #1

Superb Lyrebird #1

Newsletter: 1/21/2010

From the obscure last week (Yellow-legged Flyrobin (Flycatcher) to the iconic this week, a male Superb Lyrebird displaying in an Antarctic Beech forest last Monday in New England, northern NSW – what could be more appropriate after the recorder-playing course in Armidale?

The first photo (above) you can see the display posture of the lyrebird with the long tail feathers bent forwards over the head. The tail feathers are of three types. The two, large, outer left-most ones are called ‘lyrates’ and are about 60cm/24in long. The lyrates have club-shaped ends, are grey and rufous above and silvery and rufous below with a ladder pattern. The two innermost ones, to the right of the lyrates in the photo, are slender ‘guard-plumes’, while the remaining 12 lacy ‘filamentaries’ are blackish above and silvery or grey below (depending on the race).

Superb Lyrebird #2

Superb Lyrebird #2

In the display, the male first raises the tail feathers vertically and it is in this position that the eponymous lyre shape is assumed by the lyrates. The feathers are then brought forward over the head (second photo) and spread sideways to the fullest extent possible. In the third photo, the bird is facing the camera but the head and body are completely hidden – the ultimate masked ball costume. Lyrebirds are all-round performers – not content with just a gorgeous display, he sings vigorously and beautifully, vibrating the filamentaries to make them shimmer. Lyrebirds are famous mimics, historically of other birds in the forest, but nowadays of mechanical devices too. This one was mainly mimicking Crimson Rosellas. At the height of the display, he dances back and forward in time to a percussive phrase rendered as ‘tuggerah tuggerah tug’ by Pizzey and Knight.

Superb Lyrebird #3

Superb Lyrebird #3

There was a female present during the 25 minutes that I watched the display. The male seemed absorbed to the point of being in a trance, letting me approach with in a few metres. The female was warier and moved away eventually, and only then did the male appear to notice my presence and strode off into the forest. The whole scene was like an amazing ballet, the Antarctic Beech forest providing a mossy, enchanted set that reminded me of cloud forest in Ecuador and, during the display, a swamp wallaby went bouncing by, adding to the sense of unreality.

I’m back home in Bluewater now and can resume adding photos to the website.

Best wishes,

Ian

—

Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,

454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818

Phone: +61-7 4751 3115

Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au

Website: http://birdway.com.au

Lee’s Addition:

And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” (Genesis 1:22 NKJV) (Displaying helps)

Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter. (Ecclesiastes 10:20 NKJV) (Mimicry)

Thanks again, Ian, for showing this magnificent Lyrebird. This has been a favorite of mine since I did the Interesting Things – Lyre Bird, but since I love this YouTube video by – David Attenborough, I am going to re-post it here.

The Lyrebirds are in the Menuridae Family in the Passeriformes Order. There are two, the Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) and the Albert’s Lyrebird (Menura alberti).

“The Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) is a pheasant-sized songbird, approximately 100cm long, with brown upper body plumage, grayish-brown below, rounded wings and strong legs. It is the longest and third heaviest of all songbirds.

The polygamous male is the bearer of the most elegant of all tails. The tail has sixteen feathers, with the two outermost being lyre-shaped. Next within are two guard plumes and twelve long, lace-like feathers, known as filamentaries. Seven years is required for the tail to fully develop. During courtship display, the tail is fanned forward beyond his head to form a silvery white canopy.

One of the two lyrebirds in the family Menuridae, the other being the much rarer Albert’s Lyrebird, the Superb Lyrebird has a wide vocal range and extraordinary ability to accurately mimic sounds. The female lays a single egg and builds a domed nest above ground.

An Australian endemic, the Superb Lyrebird can be found in the forest of southeastern Australia, from southern Victoria to southeastern Queensland. The diet consists mainly of small animals found on forest floor or from rotting logs.

Albert's Lyrebird (Menura alberti) ©Peter Ellis

Albert's Lyrebird (Menura alberti) ©Peter Ellis

The Albert’s Lyrebird (Menura alberti) is a pheasant-sized songbird, approximately 90cm long, with brown upper body plumage and rich chestnut below. It is very similar with the Superb Lyrebird in its habits. This bird also mimics other species sounds.

The rarer of the two species of lyrebirds, the Albert’s Lyrebird lacks the elegant lyre-shaped tail feathers of the Superb Lyrebird. It also builds platforms by trampling down dense vegetation for courtship display instead of scratch up mounds. The diet consists mainly of insects found on forest floor and from rotting logs.

Named after Prince Albert, the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Albert’s Lyrebird is inhabiting and endemic to subtropical rainforests of Australia, in a small area on the state border between New South Wales and Queensland.