Wild Bird Wednesday 704 - Turkey Vulture

I spent last week with my family on a four day bush walk in Tasmania, so WBW this week comes from the archives!

In late 2023 I was fortunate enough to visit Cuba with David from Travels with Birds. And what a great trip it was!

One of the birds we saw pretty much every day was the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura).  This is  the most widespread of the New World vultures being found from Southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America.  Although it probably won't win any beauty contests (and neither will I) it's an impressive bird.

Like most other vultures, the Turkey Vulture lacks a syrinx - the part of the 'throat' that birds use to make complex sounds- , so it can only utter hisses and grunts.

The Turkey Vulture is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion, and can often be seen feeding on road kill. It is a large bird, with a wingspan of 160–183 cm, a length of 62–81 cm , and weight of 0.8 to 2.41 kg. The Turkey Vulture is gregarious and roosts in large community groups, breaking away to forage independently during the day. 

They may not be good looking, but they are rather wonderfully well adapted. 

The next two pictures show a Turkey Vulture standing with their wings fully outstretched. This behaviour is known as the "horaltic pose" or "sunning". This behaviour is important for thermoregulation, hygiene, and feather maintenance.  The Sun's UV rays help kill bacteria and parasites (like feather lice and mites) that accumulate in their feathers, as well as drying out bacteria that may have been transferred to the bird's feather from from decaying meat.  This pose is a great example of a behavioural adaptation. 

As ever, to join in with WBW click on the link below.  Cheers  SM

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Wild Bird Wednesday 703 - Brown Falcon

The Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) is a relatively large falcon native to Australia and New Guinea.  There are about 40 other species in the genus Falco - including Peregrines, Hobbies and Kestrels.

The Brown Falcons upper-parts are generally dark brown and the underparts are pale buff or cream, although there is considerable variation in their plumage colour. One field guide I have describes them as a ''rather scruffy, loose plumages falcon'. The sides of the head are brown with a distinctive dark tear-stripe below the eye.

This species occurs over all of Australia, and there is a sub-species that occurs in New Guinea.

These pictures were taken on two contrasting days of weather - one grey, but dry, and the other wet with some sunshine.  I'll leave it to you to work out which is which.

As ever, to join in with WBW click on the blue button below.  Cheers  SM 

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Wild Bird Wednesday 702 - Red-kneed Dotterel

The Red-Kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus) is a small colourful, plump wader with relatively long legs. Technically it does not really have red knees, as the part of the leg that is red is actually its ankle (anatomically). 

This bird is the only species in the genus Erythrogonys and basically you have to come to Australia to see one.  There are records from New Zealand and PNG, but it's probably best to consider this bird an Australian Endemic.

This bird was feeding at Werribee, and I thought it had caught a worm of some form.  But on closer inspection of the pictures I think it was a piece of vegetation that it picked up and then rejected.

There is little doubt that this is an attractive, and distinctive species. 

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Cheers - SM

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Wild Bird Wednesday 701 - Welcome Swallow

Give that this WBW will be published on the last day of 2025 I'm not sure that the Welcome Swallow is the most appropriate bird to post - but in the absence of the Farewell Sparrow I think I'll just go ahead and use it!

The Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) is native to Australia and nearby islands. The species self-introduced into New Zealand in the middle of the twentieth century.  It is Australia’s most widespread swallow, and it can be found searching for flying insects in almost any habitat, between city buildings, over farmland paddocks, in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, and in every habitat in between.  It would be an unusual day of birding that did not contain a sighting of this bird.

Unlike the probably more familiar Barn Swallow (which also occurs occasionally in Northern Australia) the Welcome Swallow is not completely migratory.  Although birds from southern Australia move north in the colder months, they are never entirely absent.

This bird was minding its own business on a wire fence before I interrupted it.  The fence was in the Warby Range in Victoria, close to Glenrowan.

As ever, to join in with WBW click on the link below.  

I can only hope that 2026 brings more peace, equity and beauty than 2025 managed.  

There is always hope.

Cheers  SM.

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Wild Bird Wednesday 700 - Tawny Frogmouth

The Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) is native to Australian and can be found throughout much of the country.  They can be found in almost any habitat type, including forests and woodlands, scrub and heathland vegetation. 

It is a big-headed, stocky bird which is often mistaken for an owl due to its nocturnal habits and similar colouring. However, it is more closely related to birds such as true nightjars.  They can measure from 34 to 53 cm long, but they are rather variable in size.

Tawny Frogmouths makes use of cryptic plumage and mimicry to camouflage themselves. They strategically perch on low tree branches during daylight hours, often being sitting very close to the tree itself.  They often strike a 'head up' pose with the beak inclined upwards at a distinctive angle.  To further increase the quality of their camouflage they often choose to perch on branches that have broken sections - where their combination of plumage and stance can make them very hard to see.

These three birds were sitting on a low branch near Glenrowan in North East Victoria.  Sal found the birds first and momentarily forgetting their names said 'There are three of those birds that pretend to be trees here!'. I suspect that this may become their standard name in our family!

These are just remarkable birds.

I suspect they would make good Christmas tree decorations - although I suppose they may be a little too hard to notice!  Best wishes for the next few days.

As ever (for the 700th time!) to join in with WBW click the link below.  Cheers SM.

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Bay of Fires.

The Bay of Fires or Larapuna is a remarkable coastal region in northeastern Tasmania. It is famous for its pristine white beaches, turquoise waters, and unique orange-hued granite rocks covered in red or orange lichen.  The area was named The Bay of Fires by Captain Furneaux in 1773 after seeing many Aboriginal fires in the area.

Geologically the area is very similar to Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, Flinders Island in Bass Straight and the Freycinet areas of Tasmania.  If you have been to the Prom, the Bay of Fire will feel very familiar - but the Bay of Fires is just much larger, wilder and (in my experience) less crowded.

It's a remarkable place.

Sal and I did a five day glamping and lodge based walk through the area that started and ended in Launceston.  The food and drinks provided were great.  Despite some good walking, I suspect it was not a weight loss week!

There is a deep history of indigenous in the area, going back maybe 60,000 years.  In some parts of the dunes shell middens are being exposed, ant it's remarkable to think that both the shells and associated burnt wood and stone artefacts appearing on the surface could pre-date Stonehenge, the Pyramids in Egypt and the human colonisation of North America.

In some places nature plays tricks on you and gathers huge numbers of pippi shells into small, isolated coves. You would be tempted to think such deposits are human in origin, but it all just a trick of the tide.

A great few days walking - with the best company I could ask for.  SM