Wild Bird Wednesday 682 - Brolga

I've been birding at the Western Treatment Plant for something like 25 years.  It's a remarkable place.

One of the most noticeable changes in birdlife there during that time has been the growth in the numbers of Brolga (Grus rubicunda) in the area.  When I first went there, you hoped to see one or two in a day - and while you often did it was no surprise if you did not.

These days I basically expect to see them, and often see over ten individuals in 3 or 4 groups.  The Brolga is not actually that rare across the whole of its range, but in Victoria (where I live) it is considered endangered.

These two birds were feeding on the edge of the T section lagoons - which is normally a location for watching diminutive crakes, rather than cranes that are 1 to 1.3 m in height, with a wing span between 1.7 to 2.4 m.

This images are only very lightly cropped, so you can see that I was bale to get close to the birds.  Cars really do make excellent bird hides - and I cant help wonder if EVs would be even better because of the lack of engine noise.

Brolgas are omnivorous feeding on both plant and animals. They will eat a variety of wetland plants, insects and amphibians, and have also been known to eat mice, frogs and other small animals.  

As ever, to join in with WBW click the link below.  Hope all is well.  Cheers  SM

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