Fairy Wren and Pheasant Coucal from Australia

These pictures come thanks to my co-worker in Australia. He knew I was an avid birder and had a birding blog, so he shared two of his best photos with me.

The first is a Fairy Wren:

Interesting fact about Fairy Wrens (also known as the Superb Fairy-wren)- males often latch onto a predator's call to catch the attention of females. Pretty innovative! For more info: http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Malurus-cyaneus

The second is a Pheasant Coucal:

The Pheasant Coucal is a large cuckoo similar in shape to a pheasant, often seen in backyards. For more info: http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Centropus-phasianinus

Thank you Brad!

Comments

Hilke Breder said…

You have some interesting birds. By its posture you know that the Fairy Wren is a wren, like the wrens in the US but more colorful.

March 18, 2011 at 3:24:00 AM PDT

Dawn Fine said…

Howdee! Very cool birds there in Australia..nice of your friend to share those pics..
Happy Birding to you!!

March 19, 2011 at 8:53:00 AM PDT

MaineBirder said…

Great pics of the Fairy Wren!

March 21, 2011 at 2:18:00 PM PDT

Difference Between Grackles and Starlings

I saw a sad sight today during my lunchtime jog—a dead grackle. Or was it a starling? I'll get to that in a minute. I was making my way down to the trail along the Charles River when I saw what I thought was an injured bird in the middle of the road. It was just sitting there and I figured it was just stunned or maybe had an injured wing. The bird probably didn't have much of a chance, but the least I could move it out of the road. As I got closer to the bird I saw it had its mouth open and then I realized the gruesome truth—it was dead and was frozen in that position. I just got shivers thinking about it. The poor thing. Anyway, so it got me to thinking 'What is the difference between grackles and starlings?' I use the two interchangeably and haven't really made an effort to sort it out. Until now. I like to use All About Birds from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as an online resource. The site is comprehensive and easy to use. (I also really like the 'Cool ...

Well, Here We Are — Back to Birding Girl After 11 Years

Well, here we are—after an epic 11-year hiatus, I’m sitting back at my Adirondack chair, overlooking the picturesque cranberry bogs we live on now. I've swapped my super strong coffee for a hoppy, locally-brewed IPA to celebrate the end of the work day, and starting work again on my personal project- BirdingGirl. Honestly, it feels a little surreal. If you’re popping in and thinking, “Wait, she’s posting again?”—yep, it’s me! The binoculars are still close by, the dog is snoozing nearby, and yes, the birds have kept me company all along. Life Lately: Birding (Mostly) at Home Let’s get this out of the way—I never stopped birding. Not for a minute! Sure, life looks a bit different now. Marriage and kids will do that to you, right? These days, “getting out in the field” means looking up at the trees lining the trails leading to the cranberry bogs I walk my dog on, listening for great-horned owls and wood thrushes, or watching a flash of yellow as the warblers return each spring. I ...

Killdeer Chick in Yellowstone National Park

These were taken at West Thumb Geyser Basis, along the beach. It was really cool to get to watch these little chicks up close and personal. I had never seen Killdeer chicks before- only adults. These pictures are from our trip to Montana/Wyoming in July 2012.

BirdingGirl

Search This Blog