If you have not already figured it out, wildlife has been the big highlight of our trip to Australia. We are particularly fond of the birds of Australia. Some have beautiful plumage, like this small parrot feeding outside of Kathy and Bob’s place in Thora:

Some have lovely calls, like this Butcher Bird:

Some are just silly, either in appearance, like this Bush Turkey that often hung out near the place we stayed in Thora:

or in their calls, like these Kookaburras in a tree:

(video of their calls):

Some make good pets, like these cockatoos:

And some make great entertainment for the kids, like these Rainbow Lorikeets that gather daily on our balcony in Sydney:

Some are familiar back home, like this black swan with cygnets in tow at the zoo:

and some are from places long ago and far away like this Ibis:

And some are native to Australia, like this Emu at the Pet Porpoise Pool:

And some can pull off truly amazing feats, like the Bower Bird that builds an incredible little bower to attract a mate (note all the blue bits that it collects and places around the bower):

The bower looks quite similar to the fairy house that Anna built near it:

Birds in the City
Since we arrived back in Sydney we made a wonderful discovery at the apartment we are renting here. Rainbow Lorikeets and Cockatoos arrive daily on our balcony (on the 7th floor) and the kids are able to feed them seeds and sugar water (for the Lori’s) and they gather in large numbers:

Once there are enough of them they will climb on the kids to eat:

Sometimes they get a little over the top when they are going for the food:

The Cockatoos are amazing – they are really big and generally well mannered (they don’t squak as much as the Lorikeets). They don’t like the sugar water – they prefer straight sunflower seeds. They will line up on the rail – sometimes quite a few at a time:

The kids can just hold up their hands and they will eat right out of them:

If the kids hold the seeds too far for them to reach from the balcony, they will jump off:

and land on their arms:

They are comfortable enough to let us right up close for photos:


Although the Lorikeets and Cockatoos are quite harmless, like most things in Australia there are some birds that are a hazard. We purchased a s “Dangerous Creatures of Australia” a while back and one of the first dangerous animals it mentions is the Australian Magpie. The following is directly out of the guide and is just to hilarious not to pass along:

Why Do Magpies Attack?

Probably the most common bird attacks come from Australian Magpies. Every Spring, while they are nesting, these maggies develop and unpredictable and aggressive behaviour towards perceived invaders. they undertake aerial attacks on passers-by, often children on their way to school. Swooping from behind and clacking their beaks, their attacks can be startling, especially to those with a heart condition. Cyclists under attack may swerve and have an accident. Just occasionally a rogue magpie pecks someone deeply enough to draw blood and every year several people end up in hospital. Magpies seem to pick on certain types of people. It may be people with red hair, postal workers or a schoolchild. Recent studies show that when both sexes of magpies attack, it is a one of birds regarding people as nest predators. In attacks by male magpies only, however, it seems more a matter of proving to his mate what a good nest defender he is.
The easiest defence is to take another route until the nesting season is over. Alternatively, try holding a leafy branch above your head, as magpies aim for the tallest part of their victim. Small children can protect themselves by wearing an ice-cream container as a helmet. This can be particularly effective if you draw false eyes, or even glue sunglasses onto the back of the hat”

The entry includes a picture of a kid being dive-bombed by a magpie and another photo of kids wearing special “Peck-off” hats that include eyes on the back and a face on the top of the hat. If you are wondering about the ice cream containers – they are 1/2 gallon plastic containers here – and they make very nice hats (if you are a total dweeb).