Austalian Waterbirds

Aust Waterbirds By Jim Stevenson
Australia has quite a few waterbirds, both marine as well as freshwater. Most are different species from anything in North America, even though waterbirds have larger ranges than land birds, on average. There are several complexes that have one species in North America and another in Australia, or even six or eight species.

 

There are four species of darters in the World, and obviously ours is the Anhinga. This bird above is the Australian Darter, with more markings in the head region than our bird. Like ours (and cormorants), you can see this bird drying his wings before attempting any flight. The interesting feathers at the bends of the wings in front are the alula.

There are four species of darters in the World, and obviously ours is the Anhinga. This bird above is the Australian Darter, with more markings in the head region than our bird. Like ours (and cormorants), you can see this bird drying his wings before attempting any flight. The interesting feathers at the bends of the wings in front are the alula.

 

We got a little action here when a croc tried bagging a darter. Never underestimate the swimming ability of many diving birds like loons, grebes, etc. Here, too wet to take off, this darter flop across the surface and escapes the croc – barely. I’m pretty sure this was a better strategy than attempting to fight off the croc… ;)

We got a little action here when a croc tried bagging a darter. Never underestimate the swimming ability of many diving birds like loons, grebes, etc. Here, too wet to take off, this darter flop across the surface and escapes the croc – barely. I’m pretty sure this was a better strategy than attempting to fight off the croc… 😉

 

Reflect on this a minute… Anyway, the Australian White Pelican is comparable in size to our bird, although I find the eyering overdoing it. This species doesn’t normally reach the large quantity of some of the flocks we’ve seen in the States, but there are drying up lakes in the Interior where thousands come to feed and breed.

Reflect on this a minute… Anyway, the Australian White Pelican is comparable in size to our bird, although I find the eyering overdoing it. This species doesn’t normally reach the large quantity of some of the flocks we’ve seen in the States, but there are drying up lakes in the Interior where thousands come to feed and breed.

 

Curiously, these Australian Grebes are in breeding plumage in the middle of their winter. Grebes are very primitive birds found over most of the inhabitable World, varying in size considerably. Loons, however, breed mostly in the Arctic regions of the Western World, less so in Eurasia. Both are largely piscine in their diet.

Curiously, these Australian Grebes are in breeding plumage in the middle of their winter. Grebes are very primitive birds found over most of the inhabitable World, varying in size considerably. Loons, however, breed mostly in the Arctic regions of the Western World, less so in Eurasia. Both are largely piscine in their diet.

 

Buff-necked Ibis are beautiful birds that work the dry ground probably more than wet areas like many ibis. The shaggy neck and iridescent dorsum really sets them off, and they become quite tame and abiding where people are. They mix well with Australia’s version of the White Ibis, making pied flocks of waders on grass.

Buff-necked Ibis are beautiful birds that work the dry ground probably more than wet areas like many ibis. The shaggy neck and iridescent dorsum really sets them off, and they become quite tame and abiding where people are. They mix well with Australia’s version of the White Ibis, making pied flocks of waders on grass.

 

Here is a Buff-necked Ibis overhead.

Here is a Buff-necked Ibis overhead.

 

The rest of the World is cursed with secretive rails just like the US, even though they are often called crakes. This is the Buff-banded Crake sneaking out of the marsh grass on the Cairn’s Esplanade, beside a Pied Lark. Also just like our rails, they have species with short or long bills, with this one the former. This famous Esplanade is one of Australia’s best birding locations, most famous for its wintering shorebirds.

The rest of the World is cursed with secretive rails just like the US, even though they are often called crakes. This is the Buff-banded Crake sneaking out of the marsh grass on the Cairn’s Esplanade, beside a Pied Lark. Also just like our rails, they have species with short or long bills, with this one the former. This famous Esplanade is one of Australia’s best birding locations, most famous for its wintering shorebirds.

 

Looking quite a bit like our Common Gallinule (which should be Moorhen, like it was), this Dusky Moorhen is also found in parks, ponds and other freshwater bodies in the un-desert of Down Under. Their bill and frontal shield certainly resembles our bird quite a bit. They are poor swimmers, not having lobed or webbed feet.

Looking quite a bit like our Common Gallinule (which should be Moorhen, like it was), this Dusky Moorhen is also found in parks, ponds and other freshwater bodies in the un-desert of Down Under. Their bill and frontal shield certainly resembles our bird quite a bit. They are poor swimmers, not having lobed or webbed feet.

 

A young Comb-crested Jacana feeds among the sticks and looks forward to the day he gets his comb and girlfriend. These relatives of gallinules, etc., walk on lily pads and turn them over to pick small organisms off the underside. The short bill is all that’s needed for many of the rails that don’t probe, or catch injurious prey like fiddler crabs.

A young Comb-crested Jacana feeds among the sticks and looks forward to the day he gets his comb and girlfriend. These relatives of gallinules, etc., walk on lily pads and turn them over to pick small organisms off the underside. The short bill is all that’s needed for many of the rails that don’t probe, or catch injurious prey like fiddler crabs.

 

Here is an adult of the same jacana species flying, with long toes and nails exposed. Thank you, I like it, too. ;) The crest is fully developed and I believe makes it a male. The short, rounded wings are typical of nonmigratory birds, and most bug-eating species are relatively slender builds.

Here is an adult of the same jacana species flying, with long toes and nails exposed. Thank you, I like it, too. 😉 The crest is fully developed and I believe makes it a male. The short, rounded wings are typical of nonmigratory birds, and most bug-eating species are relatively slender builds.

 

Caspian and Gull-billed Terns are circum-Equatorial, with the latter shown here feeding on the Esplanade in Cairns (near Caspians). The thick bill probably indicates a diet of less fish and more hard-shelled creatures like crabs, etc. Curiously, these around Cairns were in breeding plumage (middle of the winter) while those further south (Townsville) were still in winter plumage.

Caspian and Gull-billed Terns are circum-Equatorial, with the latter shown here feeding on the Esplanade in Cairns (near Caspians). The thick bill probably indicates a diet of less fish and more hard-shelled creatures like crabs, etc. Curiously, these around Cairns were in breeding plumage (middle of the winter) while those further south (Townsville) were still in winter plumage.

 

Almost at attention, this pair of Bush Stone-curlew hangs out by day under a tree, waiting for dusk to lure them out for a long night’s hunt. Male plovers are larger than females and that’s just opposite from sandpipers. Living immediately along the ocean shore is the Beach Stone-curlew, now a rare bird in Australia.

Almost at attention, this pair of Bush Stone-curlew hangs out by day under a tree, waiting for dusk to lure them out for a long night’s hunt. Male plovers are larger than females and that’s just opposite from sandpipers. Living immediately along the ocean shore is the Beach Stone-curlew, now a rare bird in Australia.

 

Another off-beat plover is the Masked Lapwing, with the curious yellow skin on the face. These are largely grassland birds but are very tame on beaches, athletic fields and even yards. On the Cairns Esplanade they walk the low tide flat picking up stranded marine invertebrates, often mixing with people during high tide hours.

Another off-beat plover is the Masked Lapwing, with the curious yellow skin on the face. These are largely grassland birds but are very tame on beaches, athletic fields and even yards. On the Cairns Esplanade they walk the low tide flat picking up stranded marine invertebrates, often mixing with people during high tide hours.

 

Lapwings aren’t all fun and games. This male is displaying his weapons while flying, the spur you see in the bend of each wing. These are used for fighting rival males and serious damage may be inflected during their rut. The face may add to their scariness, and notice the cornea around the pupil is as yellow as the flaps.

Lapwings aren’t all fun and games. This male is displaying his weapons while flying, the spur you see in the bend of each wing. These are used for fighting rival males and serious damage may be inflected during their rut. The face may add to their scariness, and notice the cornea around the pupil is as yellow as the flaps.

 

Dotterels are plovers diminutive in size but often attractive in color and pattern. This one was caught with his reflection in the water, always a nice goal for photography. This is the Black-fronted Dotterel, which nests over much of Australia. Their red eyering and beak provide snappy color and the flesh-colored legs may remind you of Wilson’s Plover.

Dotterels are plovers diminutive in size but often attractive in color and pattern. This one was caught with his reflection in the water, always a nice goal for photography. This is the Black-fronted Dotterel, which nests over much of Australia. Their red eyering and beak provide snappy color and the flesh-colored legs may remind you of Wilson’s Plover.

 

This Eucalyptus looks like a Christmas tree with Magpie Goose ornaments. This goose is quite abundant in many parts of Australia but is quite unrelated to other geese found around the World. The words magpie or pied refer to a black&white coloring, which an awful lot of Australian birds wear.

This Eucalyptus looks like a Christmas tree with Magpie Goose ornaments. This goose is quite abundant in many parts of Australia but is quite unrelated to other geese found around the World. The words magpie or pied refer to a black&white coloring, which an awful lot of Australian birds wear.

 

This is the Green Pigmy-goose, and along with its cousin the Cotton P-g, they constitute a pair of waterfowl fairly unrelated to other ducks and geese. They have large areas of green sheen, and their notes aren’t your basic honking and cackling. They are inhabitants of lakes with lily pads and basically vegetarian.

This is the Green Pigmy-goose, and along with its cousin the Cotton P-g, they constitute a pair of waterfowl fairly unrelated to other ducks and geese. They have large areas of green sheen, and their notes aren’t your basic honking and cackling. They are inhabitants of lakes with lily pads and basically vegetarian.

 

This flock of Cotton Pigmy-geese sailed past in Townsville’s Commons, a series of lakes and woodlands which is protected and full of birds & other animals. These are not hunted in Australia and their population is minimal but stable. These birds lack a speculum like dabbling ducks or typical wingstripes like bay ducks, but males have some design across their primaries.

This flock of Cotton Pigmy-geese sailed past in Townsville’s Commons, a series of lakes and woodlands which is protected and full of birds & other animals. These are not hunted in Australia and their population is minimal but stable. These birds lack a speculum like dabbling ducks or typical wingstripes like bay ducks, but males have some design across their primaries.

 

We are familiar with some whistling-ducks but these Plumed Whistling-ducks are strictly Australian. These are freshwater ducks and become fairly tame in lakes where hunting is not allowed. The plumes emanating from the flanks are unique in the duck world but the squealing is vintage whistling-duck.

We are familiar with some whistling-ducks but these Plumed Whistling-ducks are strictly Australian. These are freshwater ducks and become fairly tame in lakes where hunting is not allowed. The plumes emanating from the flanks are unique in the duck world but the squealing is vintage whistling-duck.

 

Speaking of bay ducks, these are Hardheads, a scaup-like diving duck with mild sexual dimorphism. The head is rounded like a Greater Scaup and the white wingstripe is even longer than Greater Scaups! [See next page.] They even have a light bar on the bill before a dark nail, much like one sees in various bay ducks.

Speaking of bay ducks, these are Hardheads, a scaup-like diving duck with mild sexual dimorphism. The head is rounded like a Greater Scaup and the white wingstripe is even longer than Greater Scaups! [See next page.] They even have a light bar on the bill before a dark nail, much like one sees in various bay ducks.

 

Bay ducks paddle across the water to take off and these Hardheads are no exception. The white wingstripes reach the end of the primaries, which must be the longest of any duck. Having a male and female together is probably just a coincidence, as most birds’ gonads virtually shrink to nothing in the winter and everybody’s the same sex. None.

Bay ducks paddle across the water to take off and these Hardheads are no exception. The white wingstripes reach the end of the primaries, which must be the longest of any duck. Having a male and female together is probably just a coincidence, as most birds’ gonads virtually shrink to nothing in the winter and everybody’s the same sex. None.

 

Upside down reflections are one of the many tools photographers use to entertain the observer. This White-faced Heron is mostly seen in his split personality, although the grass kinda got in the way. This species is less common than in New Zealand but still found in much of Oz. There is also a White-necked Heron.

Upside down reflections are one of the many tools photographers use to entertain the observer. This White-faced Heron is mostly seen in his split personality, although the grass kinda got in the way. This species is less common than in New Zealand but still found in much of Oz. There is also a White-necked Heron.

 

Egrets in Oz are a little tougher than in most of the rest of Earth. This nice Intermediate Egret is slightly smaller than Great Egrets, but somewhat larger than Little Egrets. One also has to rule out Cattle Egret and Reef Heron, so it’s a bit of work. Now, this basic-plumaged bird is no big deal, but Google them for breeding plumage! Oh, man!

Egrets in Oz are a little tougher than in most of the rest of Earth. This nice Intermediate Egret is slightly smaller than Great Egrets, but somewhat larger than Little Egrets. One also has to rule out Cattle Egret and Reef Heron, so it’s a bit of work. Now, this basic-plumaged bird is no big deal, but Google them for breeding plumage! Oh, man!

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