When someone does something daft, Australians affectionately say, “Silly Galah!” That saying is a reference to these birds:

They’re Galahs, a type of cockatoo found across most of Australia. I saw these two on the outskirts of Lake Mungo in the Australian Outback. The one on the left is a male (brown eyes) and the one on the right is female (pink eyes).

The birds were looking particularly pretty, outlined by the early morning sun.

Galahs do sometimes behave in a way that people see as silly. And here is perhaps a case in point…

The day after seeing the birds at Lake Mungo, we were on the road again. Near Griffith in central New South Wales, a large flock of Galahs had for some reason taking a liking to the tarmac. Despite the oncoming vehicles, the birds kept wheeling around and landing on the road. We stopped, and drove slowly, careful not to collide with any of the birds.

Let’s finish off with another two Galahs, again looking pretty at Lake Mungo:

Common name: Galah
Scientific name: Cacatua roseicapilla
Approximate length: 35-38 cm
Date spotted: 20 May 2024 (autumn)
Location: Mungo Lodge, Mungo National Park, New South Wales, Australia: 33°44’31.4″S 143°00’06.1″E