Long-billed Corella

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Araminta
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Long-billed Corella

This photo was taken some weeks ago, when there was some sunshine. (now there is just rain, rain and more rain)

DSC00840 (2)

pacman
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Your pic got me thinking

The pic below was taken at Mt Penang Parklands, Gosford, NSW in Sep '11   

My Morecombe Field Guide shows the L-b Corella distribution as being in Vic & SA with some in lower NSW

I will have to check my other guides & the Australian Atlas

Peter

Maureen
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I've noticed large flocks of Long-billed Corellas over several months in the outer south east of Melbourne - must be related to all the rain we've had.

Karen
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I have noticed these in our area lately in large numbers (Logan, Brisbane), yet in fact, they are relatively new to the area.  Once we had large flocks of sulphur crested cockatoos around here.  They have disappeared and the corellas have taken over.  I love seeing them, but do miss the incredible morning screeching of the big whites. 

Karen
Brisbane southside.

pacman
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Karen - are those Little Corellas or the Long-billed Corella?

Peter

Karen
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Peter, you might be able to verify this for me.  Sorry, the pic is not good which is why I didn't post it before, but you can see the beak.  This was taken from my front door and it was rather shady against the glare of the sky, so I was not able to get a decent pic.  It looks like a long beak corella to me, but would like to be sure of it.

Karen
Brisbane southside.

pacman
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Karen

certainly looks like a L-b Corella to me

characteristics I looked at: red forehead band & lores, the bare blue-grey under the eye is narrow & of course the bill length

if you saw a patchy red throat bar that would finalise it

I have added the fact sheet

ps I will be back in Qld this weekend and have a daughter & family at Heritage Park, must be time for me to visit them

Peter

pacman
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the Fact Sheet states distribution as:

The Long-billed Corella is normally found only in the extreme south-east of Australia from south-eastern South Australia through western Victoria to southern New South Wales. However, it has established populations in other parts of eastern Australia (probably from escaped cage birds). 

the attached map shows quite a number of other areas

Peter

Araminta
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I sometimes think I shouldn't post photos of them, because they are so common where I live, but still posted one. (you might remember, the original post was mine, LOL), then it turned into a wider discussion. I live outside of Melbourne in the east, close to the Yarra Valley.

M-L

pacman
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Araminta wrote:

I sometimes think I shouldn't post photos of them, because they are so common where I live, but still posted one. (you might remember, the original post was mine, LOL), then it turned into a wider discussion. I live outside of Melbourne in the east, close to the Yarra Valley.

oops, sorry

I believe that they are lovely birds and find the changing distribution interesting

Peter

Karen
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I think the 'wider' discussion has helped me learn something about these birds, which is a good goal for a thread.  I realize now that I've never seen a Little Corella, and that could be because they are found more inland.  My pic isn't a good one like yours, but it does show the longer beak getting around the seed pod of an African Tulip tree, and the birds I've seen do have that red throat patch.  So ID is positive.  Thank you.

Karen
Brisbane southside.

pacman
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sorry M-L can we borrow your thread for a little longer

Karen, you should spend a day at the beach, I have had good Little Corella photo opportunites at:

the lagoon in the CBD area, Sandgate - in Brighton Rd opp 4th Avenue - Mar '11, Aug '11 - good-sized flock

in Humpybong Park, Redcliffe - Hutchison St off Anzac Avenue - Jan '11, Mar '11 - good-sized flock

in Jamieson Park , Scarborough - Thurecht Pde - Jan '10, Mar '11, Jan '12 - smaller flock

pic from Redcliffe

Peter

Karen
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Well!  I did post a reply, but it's gone, disappeared.

Thank you M-L for your pic, and the thread, and Peter, those birds are really lovely (I almost said 'cuddly').  Now I can really see the difference in their beaks.  If I was trying to ID them by their feathers I think I'd still get confused.  Will see if we can get over the northside and check out those areas you mentioned.

In Spring, there is a small nearby park that seems to be a sort of creche for the baby corellas.  I will have to go back in Spring to see if they are still there, and which type of corella they are.

Karen
Brisbane southside.

walrusofoz
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(Seems my pics won't display??)

David Miller

Karen
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David, can you make your pics smaller?  They may be simply too large to upload.

Karen
Brisbane southside.

walrusofoz
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I've tried that Karen, 68kb won't even display

David Miller

Woko
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It seems a few of us are having that problem. I got mine black-faced cuckoo shrikes to load after several tries. I'll post Holly.

Karen
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Strange how it happens at some times and not at others.  I've had problems too, but just lately its been behaving itself.

Karen
Brisbane southside.

walrusofoz
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Years ago I Iived in Caringbah, Sydney and wasn't aware that wild birds shouldn't be fed.

We noticed a Long Billed Corella feeding with the many Sulphur Cresteds, who had a stainless steel ring on her foot. Sadly her left claw had got hooked up on it, as seen in my pic. Obviously she was an escapee and it distressed me so much that I finally ended up catching her in a net and removing the ring on her foot.(with great difficulty!)

Unfortunately it left her foot permanently deformed, but she seemed to cope very well.

We were therefor surprised when it appeared she had paired up with a Sulphur Crested, (next pic) and surprise surprise later turned up with a baby! No crest or red chest band. (last pic)

Can somebody confirm this is a hybrid?

David Miller

 

David Miller

Karen
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Beautiful pics.  Amazing that they could cross breed, but seems to happen.

Karen
Brisbane southside.

pacman
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that is interesting

pic #3 bird appears to have a L-b Corella top beak

if it is a crossbreed I wonder if it was fertile or a mule

Peter

Araminta
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I think we had this discussion before, but I don't remember. You might be able to find it, wasn't that long ago.

M-L

Araminta
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as this was my thread at the start, before it got highjacked, I might as well post one of my Long-billed Corella photos:

DSC01511 (1)

M-L

walrusofoz
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Sorry Araminta, I thought I was just adding to your thread. Didn't know I was hijacking.

I'm new here.

David Miller

Araminta
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.......just joking, I don't mind, it is all related to the topic. Makes it more interesting.

M-L

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