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Birds on Magnetic Island
Last week I spent three days on Magnetic Island in North Queensland. Magnetic Island is a small island just offshore from Townsville. That’s approximately 2,000 km north of Sydney. The ferry ride from the mainland takes twenty minutes on the foot-passengers ferry, or forty minutes on the vehicle ferry. The island is a relaxing, lovely place to be.
Although I was on Magnetic Island for only a short while (two full days plus one evening and one morning) I encountered quite a few birds. Here are 16 of them, in rough order of size from small to large.
Yellow-bellied Sunbird
Scientific name: Nectarinia jugularis | Approximate length: 10-12 cm
This is a female Yellow-bellied Sunbird, spotted at Picnic Bay on Magnetic Island:
The beak of the Yellow-bellied Sunbird is long and curved, adapted for feeding from flowers:
White-breasted Woodswallow
Scientific name: Artamus leucorynchus | Approximate length: 16-18 cm
Three White-breasted Woodswallows clumping together. It was a chilly morning (well, chilly for the tropics, that is) so I guess they were sharing body heat:
Peaceful Dove
Scientific name: Geopelia placida (striata) | Approximate length: 20-24 cm
The Peaceful Dove is a small dove with an apricot tinge to its feathers. It has a soft, pleasant call as you can hear towards the end of this video:
Here’s a still shot of the same bird:
Rainbow Bee-eater
Scientific name: Merops ornatus | Approximate length: 23-27 cm
Given the name of this bird, I was particularly excited to snap one actually eating a bee!
Here’s a bird in the act of catching a bug:
This trio of bee-eaters clumped cosily in the chilly air of the early morning. Even a tropical island can feel cold to inhabitants used to the warmer summer weather:
Rainbow Lorikeet
Scientific name: Trichoglossus haematodus | Approximate length: 26-31 cm
These colourful parrots are extremely noisy, especially when you have a tree full of them:
Spangled Drongo
Scientific name: Dicrurus bracteatus | Approximate length: 28-32 cm
Drongo – what a cute name! Yet in Australia if someone calls you a “Drongo” you want to look closely at them, as it’s a bit of an insult. It means they think you’re not all that bright.
This is a female Spangled Drongo, I think, as its eyes are brown whereas the male has red eyes:
It’s easy to confuse these birds with crows and ravens. In fact, I heard Australian Ravens calling on the island, but didn’t get a photo of one.
The next photo is a pretty much a silhouette, but it shows off the Spangled Drongo’s forked tail:
Helmeted Friarbird
Scientific name: Philemon buceroides | Approximate length: 32-37 cm
This Helmeted Friarbird sat quietly on a branch listening to the birds all round. When it tilts its head you can see the odd-shaped knob on top of its beak:
Here’s another peering through the foliage:
Galah
Scientific name: Cacatua roseicapilla | Approximate length: 38 cm
Galahs are pretty pink and grey parrots. Australians sometimes call someone a “silly galah”, which I think is a slightly more affectionate term than “drongo”! I’ve seen Galahs in the Sydney area as well as up here on Magnetic Island. This one was picking up seeds on the ground. There’s another Galah nearby, which you can hear chirping to its mate towards the end of the video:
Here’s a still photo:
Masked Lapwing, also called a Spur-winged Plover
Scientific name: Vanellus miles | Approximate length: 35-39 cm
Masked Lapwings are strange-looking birds with yellow faces that seem to have been stuck on as an after-thought.
Their alternative name of “spur-winged” is apt, because they have hooks on their wings, one on each, which they use as weapons, stretching the wings then dragging back to wound their enemy.
In the next photo, the bird at the back is a juvenile. Its legs are brown instead of the red of the adult, and its mask has not yet fully developed:
Blue-winged Kookaburra
Scientific name: Dacelo leachii | Approximate length: 38-42 cm
The kookaburras up north are different from the Laughing Kookaburras that we see around Sydney. Blue-winged Kookaburras look leaner and meaner. They have bright blue markings on their wings, and they lack the wide dark strip that marks the eyes of Laughing Kookaburras. Here’s a Blue-winged Kookaburra on Magnetic Island:
They do look just as silly as our local birds when they gaze at us straight on:
The cackling laughter of the Blue-winged Kookaburras seemed harsher and higher pitched to me. I didn’t manage to record any of the noise. This video shows a bird sitting on the top of a high post, swaying backwards and forwards as they do to retain their balance:
Silver Gull
Scientific name: Larus novaehollandiae (also called Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) | Approximate length: 38-42 cm
A Silver Gull warning off another Silver Gull:
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Scientific name: Cacatua galerita | Approximate length: 45-50 cm
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos abounded on the island. Here are a couple peeking out from the branches of a huge palm tree:
A closer look at one of the birds:
Bush Stone-curlew
Scientific name: Burhinus grallarius | Approximate length: 55-60 cm
If you’re lucky enough to be on Magnetic Island at night, you’ll hear an eerie wailing in the lonely hours. Report has it that the local police regularly receive calls from visitors to report screaming in the night. Don’t be alarmed. It’s just the Stone-curlews.
Bush Stone-curlews have amazing camouflage, even during the day. Spot the bird if you can (click on the image to zoom in):
Here’s a close-up picture of the same bird:
Bush Stone-curlews have lovely big eyes:
Bush Stone-curlews tend to move slowly and timidly, then make a quick dash. Here’s one moving slowly along a fence:
Brahminy Kite
Scientific name: Haliastur indus | Approximate length: 55-60 cm; wing span 1.2-1.3 m
I watched this Brahminy Kite for a while early one morning. The bird was perched on top of a very high post above a stone jetty. I had to use full zoom on my camera, and the resolution isn’t wonderful. Still, the photo gives a good idea of the bird’s appearance:
These kites are common around the northern shores of Australia. At first I confused the bird with an eagle, but then I noticed the striking white chest and head feathers, and the rich chestnut colour on the back and wings, which are characteristic of Brahminy Kites. Here’s a photo of the bird flying – again, fuzzy, but you get the idea of the shape and colour:
Whistling Kite
Scientific name: Haliastur sphenurus | Approximate length: 50-60 cm; wing span 1.2-1.5 m
This bird was high in the sky, circling above the ocean and the hills:
Here’s the same bird from another angle:
Australian White Ibis
Scientific name: Threskiornis molucca | Approximate length: 65-75 cm
These ibises are affectionately known as “bin chickens” because in cities they spend a lot of time raiding dustbins. This group was prowling around the beach area, no doubt in search of scraps from the nearby restaurants:
Koala
Not a bird! But I can’t leave a post about Magnetic Island without showing a picture of a Koala. The island has the largest population of wild koalas in Australia:
I hope you’ve enjoyed my post about the lovely Magnetic Island!
Little Corella sipping water from roof guttering
From a distance, Little Corellas look very similar to Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. It’s only when you get up close that you notice the differences. Corellas do have a crest on their heads, but it’s smaller than that of their sulphur-crested cousins and doesn’t have a yellow flare.
Up until a few months ago, it was unusual to see these birds in our neighbourhood on the east coast of Australia, but I’ve seen them three or four times recently. I filmed this one sipping water from the gutter on the roof of a house:
Little Corellas have big, rubbery-looking blue patches around and under their eyes. The first time I saw one of these birds, for a couple of seconds I thought it was a very sick Sulphur-crested Cockatoo!
Often the crests on their heads are laid flat, as in the above photo. Here’s one with a raised crest, giving it that typically cheeky cockatoo look:
I’m delighted to add this bird to my posts about the various types of cockatoo that I’ve seen in our neighbourhood.
Common name: Little Corella
Scientific name: Cacatua sanguinea
Approximate length: 36-39 cm
Date spotted: 26 May 2019 (Autumn)
Location: Allambie Heights near Sydney, Australia
Crested Tern chilling out in Curl Curl
Amongst the wheeling Silver Gulls, joggers, and fishermen, a Crested Tern stood gazing over the rocks and sea.
I was walking along the cliff path when I passed the bird. Fifteen minutes later I was on my way back. The bird was still there. This picture shows the crest from which the bird’s name comes:
Crested Terns are a common sight around the shores of Australia. You may see them sitting on the sand with the gulls, or darting over the waves and diving to catch a fish. These are the seas and cliffs of Curl Curl where the bird and I were chilling out:
Common name: Crested Tern
Scientific name: Sterna bergii
Approximate length: 45 cm
Date spotted: 22 April 2019 (Autumn)
Location: Curl Curl, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’36.9″S 151°17’36.8″E
Little Black Cormorant catching the sun
I went for a late afternoon walk near Spit Bridge today, and saw this Little Black Cormorant catching the last of the sun:
In the next photo you can see the bird’s webbed feet nicely. Cormorants are very fast and agile under water, where they catch their prey. Their feathers are not waterproof, which is why they spend so much time with their wings spread out to dry.
Common name: Little Black Cormorant (see other cormorants)
Scientific name: Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Approximate length: 65 cm
Date spotted: 20 April 2019 (Autumn)
Location: Near Middle Harbour, Clontarf, New South Wales, Australia: 33°48’07.8″S 151°15’00.2″E
Wattlebirds’ tree bath
I’ve seen various birds dive through the treetops to clean their feathers. From the small New Holland Honeyeaters to the much larger King Parrots., they do it in the early morning to catch the dew, or after a rainfall. Today I managed to catch a couple of Wattlebirds performing their ablutions:
Common name: Little Wattlebird (see more pics of this bird)
Scientific name: Anthochaera chrysoptera
Approximate length: 30 cm
Date spotted: 20 April 2019 (Autumn)
Location: Manly Dam National Park, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’16.5″S 151°14’53.5″E
Moody magpie on the Manly to Spit Bridge walk
Today I walked a small part of the trail that runs from Manly to Spit Bridge, on the east coast of Australia near Sydney. It was a lovely calm morning, early enough to avoid the late-autumn heat promised for the rest of the day. I came across a magpie perched on a tree. The early morning light combined with a recent burn in the area make for a nice moody, naturally monochrome shot:
Common name: Australian Magpie
Scientific name: Gymnorhina tibicen
Approximate length: 40 cm
Date spotted: 24 March 2019 (late summer)
Location: Reef Beach Track, Balgowlah Heights, near Sydney: 33°48’29.7″S 151°16’27.4″E
Just a few minutes’ walk further along the track, I saw this magnificent view. The front stretch of water is part of Sydney Harbour. In the distance is Manly wharf. The thin strip of land is Manly town centre, with the Pacific Ocean in the distance beyond the town:
I wonder if the magpie was enjoying the view as much as I did.
Wakeful Southern Boobook at Manly Dam
A little Southern Boobook was wide awake when I walked beneath its tree this morning. This is the first time I’ve seen one of these owls, though I’ve heard them hoot during the night hours.
I sat down on the ground and watched the bird for a while. It wasn’t disturbed by my presence, and grew quite sleepy, as you can see in the next video. At the end of the video I zoomed out so that you can see a bit of the bush surrounding the bird:
Southern Boobooks are quite small, at around 30cm in length from head to tail. Compare that to the Powerful Owl, which is around 65cm.
Here’s a still photo of the bird, showing a deep yellow eye and fluffy white feathers above its beak:
Southern Boobooks are quite common. They feed mostly on insects and spiders, but they do take the occasional small bird or animal too. Here’s a closeup of the owl’s face:
Common name: Southern Boobook
Scientific name: Ninox novaeseelandiae
Approximate length: 30cm
Date spotted: 20 March 2019 (late summer)
Location: Manly Dam National Reserve, near Sydney: 33°46’30.0″S 151°15’09.2″E
Cockatoos cleaning out a tree hollow
Two Sulphur-crested Cockatoos were very busy cleaning out a hollow in a tree trunk when I walked past them today. The tree is in Manly Dam National Park. I often see cockatoos strutting up and down this tree trunk, raising their crests and squawking, and flying from tree to tree. The area is where they hang out. It’s a cockatoo playground.
In this video, one of the cockatoos gets into the cleaning in a big way, disappearing into the hollow and kicking out chunks of debris. The other cockatoo watches from above, then goes down to join the fun:
It seems an odd time of year to be preparing to build a nest. I’ve seen a few swarms of bees in this particular hollow from time to time over the years. I wonder if the cockatoos are looking for left over honeycomb?
Common name: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Scientific name: Cacatua galerita
Approximate length: 50 cm
Date spotted: 10 March 2019 (late summer)
Location: Manly Dam National Reserve, near Sydney: 33°46’50.5″S 151°14’51.1″E
Butcherbird has whiskers!
A few butcherbirds are frequenting my area at the moment. This one is a Grey Butcherbird:
When it tilted its head, I noticed some dark whiskers below its eye:
When it looked upwards, I could make out the whiskers on both sides of its beak:
A full-frontal gaze shows off the white patches (lores) in front of its eyes:
A yawn shows its tongue off nicely:
Here’s a profile to close the post. The hook on the end of the beak is for stabbing prey, which the butcherbird then hangs on a branch or a fence until it’s ready to eat:
Common name: Grey Butcherbird
Scientific name: Cracticus torquatus
Approximate length: 30 cm
Date spotted: 5 January 2019 (Summer)
Location: Allambie Heights, New South Wales, Australia
Common Myna picks a millionaire’s view
You’ll see Common Myna birds, also called Indian Mynas, throughout Sydney. They strut around restaurant tables, colonise balconies, peek into windows, and generally act like they own the place. They’re not original natives of Australia, but they’re so common a sight that most people assume they’re a native species nowadays.
Often these birds look a little tatty, as if they’ve lived an interesting life. But a couple of days ago I saw this glossy bird roosting on the edge of a cliff at Dee Why Headland:
Zooming out, here’s the view that the bird is enjoying. If you look carefully, you’ll see the bird perched on the rocky outcrop at the bottom of the picture, to the middle right.
Not to be confused with the Australian Miner (“Noisy Miner”), the Common Mynas were introduced into Victoria in the late 1800s, to control the level of insects in market gardens. The birds have since made their way up the coast to New South Wales. Their original home is Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, China, Indochina, Malay Peninsula, India).
Here’s another view of the same bird, still comfortably resting on the cliff edge:
At first I wondered if the bird was sitting on a nest. But then it stood up when a friend arrived to share the view, and there’s no nest in sight:
What can they see from their perch? Here’s their view of Long Reef, with two people walking on the rocks far below:
These little mynas are quite chatty and can make a wide variety of sounds. In this video of a group of birds on the same Dee Why Headland on the same day, you hear just some of the noises they make:
Common name: Common Myna, or Indian Myna
Scientific name: Acridotheres tristris
Approximate length: 25 cm
Date spotted: 29 December 2018 (Summer)
Location: Long Reef Headland, Dee Why, New South Wales, Australia: 33°44’30.6″S 151°19’04.2″E
Sydney Birder 