Birds of Karkarook Park
Birds of Karkarook Park
Large Birds
Large Birds
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Australian Pelican
Australian Pelican
The Australian Pelican is often seen around the coasts, where it can be seen roosting on sandbanks, rock platforms and reefs, or swimming in lagoons, bays and estuarine waters, dipping their oversized bills into the water to catch fish. However, on the rare occasions that monsoonal rains flood the salt lakes in the arid inland of Australia, many pelicans take advantage of the conditions and flock there in their thousands to breed. When it dries out, they leave and head for other less-ephemeral terrestrial wetlands or the coast.
Australian White Ibis
Australian White Ibis
In regional areas, Australian White Ibis (and Straw-necked Ibis) are sometimes called ‘the farmers’ friend’, due to their habit of flocking into areas afflicted by plagues of locusts and gorging on the ravaging hoards of insects. In urban areas, however, where many Ibis scrounge for a living by scavenging at rubbish tips and in city parks, and their plumage becomes soiled by refuse, they are sometimes disparagingly referred to as ‘tip turkeys’
Black Swan
Black Swan
Black Swans are widespread throughout much of Australia, and occur wherever there is a wetland, from river estuaries, bays and great lakes to inundated pasture and water-meadows. In some places, where the wetlands are permanent, Black Swans are sedentary, remaining throughout the year. However, where the wetlands dry out for part of the year, swans are forced to disperse over wide distances in search of suitable water, and have even been recorded swimming in isolated waterholes surrounded by vast tracts of arid stony desert.
Brown Falcon
The Brown Falcon is one of the most widespread birds in Australia — there is almost nowhere they cannot be seen, at least occasionally. They are most commonly seen perched on power poles, or hovering or flying back and forth over open habitats, especially grasslands and low shrublands, where they search for prey. They are opportunistic raptors, catching and eating mammals and birds, snakes and insects, with introduced rabbits are their most common prey in many places, especially in summer.
Cattle Egret
Cattle Egret
Since Cattle Egrets were first recorded in Australia in 1948, their range has expanded to include eastern and northern Australia, and also along major inland river systems. Their breeding colonies are often shared with other species of waterbirds, especially herons, ibis and other egrets. Cattle Egrets are usually seen stalking about in pasture, accompanying cattle to snap up insects as they are disturbed by the beasts. They also follow other grazing animals, including sheep, horses, goats, alpacas, and in zoos, elephants!
Great Cormorant
Great Cormorant
The Great Cormorant is the largest species of cormorant in Australia. Its plumage is mostly black with a slight greenish sheen, visible only in good light. During the breeding season, Great Cormorants have orange-red skin on their faces and throats, but this fades to yellow at other times. They breed in colonies, often with other species of cormorants, herons, ibises and spoonbills, their platform-like stick nests built in trees in terrestrial wetlands, including floodwaters, or on coastal cliffs or offshore islands.
Great Egret
Great Egret
One of Australia’s most elegant birds, the snowy-white Eastern Great Egret is often seen wading in a range of wetlands, from lakes, rivers and swamps to estuaries, and intertidal mudflats. They usually feed in shallow water, standing and waiting for fish, frogs, insects and other small aquatic creatures to appear before stabbing them with its long, yellow bill. They also walk slowly through the water, on the lookout for prey. Large fish are eaten with difficulty, and are often snatched from the bill of the egret by raptors.
Little Black Cormorant
Little Black Cormorant
Most species of cormorants congregate in breeding colonies, but the Little Black Cormorant also regularly forms large flocks at other times. Foraging Little Black Cormorants may occur in flocks of hundreds or possibly thousands, which sometimes feed co-operatively. They have been recorded surrounding schools of fish in open water, and forming a line across marine inlets to catch fish washed out on ebbing tides. Flocks advance across the water’s surface, with birds flying ahead from the rear, alighting and diving in front of the feeding flock.
Little Pied Cormorant
Little Pied Cormorant
Sometimes Little Pied Cormorants occur in sheltered bays and inlets, but they are more common at terrestrial wetlands, including artificial wetlands as well as a variety of natural ones. Although Little Pied Cormorants will catch fish, more often they take freshwater crayfish and other crustaceans which are captured during brief dives beneath the water. The prey is brought to the surface or back to the nearby bank, where the claws of the crayfish are shaken off before its body is eaten.
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