why do red wattlebirds relentlessly chase weebills

Here in wilmington SA, the red wattlebirds seem to have it in for the weebills. In thinking about this I have some ideas: – food competition in terms of insects, although the hugely different size of the two birds makes me wonder if they are eating different insects. There is a report in HANZAAB . . . → Read More: why do red wattlebirds relentlessly chase weebills

White-bellied Sea-eagle forked tongue

Hi Tony,

 

I think Peter is correct. I’ve had a closer look by magnifying the picture and it looks like the tip of the tongue is bent downwards rather than it being forked.  In general, the tongue of large raptors is deeply grooved longitudinally.  I suspect that assists with directing . . . → Read More: White-bellied Sea-eagle forked tongue

White-bellied Sea-eagle forked tongue

It’s just in a V shape, isn’t it? Peter Shute Get Outlook for iOS

From: Birding-Aus <birding-aus-bounces@birding-aus.org&gt; on behalf of Tony Ashton <tonyashton0@gmail.com&gt; Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2020 3:48:51 PM To: Birding-Aus <birding-aus@birding-aus.org&gt; Subject: [Birding-Aus] White-bellied Sea-eagle forked tongue  

Hi all, Can’t puzzle out why the bird pictured (seen at . . . → Read More: White-bellied Sea-eagle forked tongue

White-bellied Sea-eagle forked tongue

Hi all, Can't puzzle out why the bird pictured (seen at TownCommon Cons. Pk. yesterday appears to have curved forked extension to tongue. Help! Tony Ashton

From Birding-Aus

Tromsø’s gull problems ​This last week our local newspaper (topically called Nordlys= Northern lights) is full of stuff about ‘ the gull problem’, a topic that reappears every summer in varying intensity. Fortunately I now longer get called in to witness; this role has been very ably taken over by my colleague Rob Barrett . . . → Read More: From Birding-Aus

2 new grasswrens to chase!

Not an option for those of us in Melbourne. IOC 10.2 has done some splitting to create the Opalton and Rufous Grasswrens!

Virus-free. www.avast.com

. . . → Read More: 2 new grasswrens to chase!

Yawn

Is that a Gull-billed Tern (Australian) or an Australian Tern (Gull-billed)?

And there was one at Stockton Sandspit on the Hunter Estuary last summer wasn’t there?   From: Greg & Val Clancy Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2020 6:44 PM To: ‘Geoffrey Dabb’ ; birding-aus@birding-aus.org Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Is that a Gull-billed Tern (Australian) or an Australian Tern (Gull-billed)?  

The ‘Northern’ or ‘Common’ Gull-billed . . . → Read More: Is that a Gull-billed Tern (Australian) or an Australian Tern (Gull-billed)?

Is that a Gull-billed Tern (Australian) or an Australian Tern (Gull-billed)?

Isn’t the “Australian” in “Australian Tern” and “Australian Gull-billed Tern” simply to denote that it is a breeding endemic (with one recent breeding record in NZ noted)? Otherwise we could call Australian Pelican the “Largely Australian Pelican” . . . → Read More: Is that a Gull-billed Tern (Australian) or an Australian Tern (Gull-billed)?

Is that a Gull-billed Tern (Australian) or an Australian Tern (Gull-billed)?

The ‘Northern’ or ‘Common’ Gull-billed Tern also occurs occasionally in NSW. I have seen and photographed it in the Clarence Valley, north coast NSW.

 

Greg Clancy

 

From: Birding-Aus <birding-aus-bounces@birding-aus.org&gt; On Behalf Of Geoffrey DabbSent: Sunday, July 19, 2020 4:32 PMTo: birding-aus@birding-aus.orgSubject: [Birding-Aus] Is that a Gull-billed Tern . . . → Read More: Is that a Gull-billed Tern (Australian) or an Australian Tern (Gull-billed)?