Migration Flights Test Bird Stamina
It has long been known that migrating birds embark on particularly long and grueling journeys when they cross the oceans. What hasn’t been known for sure is whether or not they somehow stop along the way – until now that is. A Bar-tailed Godwit has been bestowed with the title ‘endurance champion of the animal kingdom’ after completing his epic 7,200 mile flight across the Pacific Ocean nonstop.
The Fascinating Flightless Cassowary
The Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is a large flightless bird found in the Seram Islands of Indonesia and the tropical rainforests of Aru, as well as New Guinea and northeastern Australia. Cassowaries have a reputation for being bad tempered and dangerous, a reputation that has been reinforced by the 2004 edition of the Guinness World Records, which lists the Cassowary as the most dangerous bird in the world.
The Marvelous Mimicry of the Lyrebird
There are two species of the ground-dwelling Australian Lyrebird: the Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) and the Albert’s Lyrebird (Menura alberti). The Superb Lyrebird is the larger of the two species and is found in the wet forest areas of New South Wales and Victoria, as well as in Tasmania where is was introduced by man in the 19th century. The Albert’s Lyrebird is found exclusively in a small area of rainforest in Southern Queensland. Albert’s Lyrebird was named in honor of Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert.
Scrubfowl and their Spectacular Nests
Some bird species build very large nests. The Bald Eagle, for instance, arranges sticks and branches into a giant platform weighing hundreds of pounds. One bald eagle nest that fell from a tree weighed in at 2 tons!
Bird watching in Australia
Australia offers bird-enthusiasts a very special treat. You could spend a lifetime learning about this island-continent’s 770 species of birds.
Bowerbirds – Birds.com
If you’ve ever marveled at the structure of a robin’s nest, you’ll be blown away by what bowerbirds can do. This family of birds, found in Australia and Papua New Guinea, take nest construction to a whole new level. They even do some interior decorating!
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