Bird of the Week: 7th January - beaks

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Holly
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Bird of the Week: 7th January - beaks

Hey gang

Apologies for not updating the bird of the week thread last week but I saw it was still going strong with the previous theme. Lets start the new year off looking at the weird and wonderful array of beaks out there.

 

Araminta
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Welcome back Holly.

Beaks are such a great indication of where birds live and what they eat. ( what comes to my mind is an old horse people's saying, no foot -no horse. Same goes for birds, no beak- no bird) I find beaks very interesting.

M-L

Araminta
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Sorry, I should have named who those beaks belong to:

1- Purple Swamphen

2- Eastern Spinebill

3- Black-winged Stilt

4- Welcome Swallow Baby

M-L

Araminta
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Tiny bird-tiny beak  (brown Thornbill)

big bird- big beak  (Spoonbill)

M-L

pacman
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Northern Giant Petrel from Sydney Pelagic trip 11/12

Peter

Nahar
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Just came back from a holiday - no birding this time !! Happy New Year to everyone.

Interesting topic Holly. M-L, as usual, beats the crowd with some amazing photos.

I would share some beaks in action. Just hover the mouse on the images for ID and my comments.

WendyK
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Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Eastern Osprey, juvenile Brown Honeyeater and Australian White Ibis (can one really call that a beak?).  (click on pic for slideshow - not sure if it's just my screen but the slideshow view seems to have better clarity)

Wendy
Mandurah, WA
Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar Site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlinoz/

Araminta
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All that talk about other bird's beaks makes me yawn, just look at me, I've got the best beak of them all. Now, let me go back to sleep, yawn....

M-L

WendyK
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Is that his tongue, M-L?

It looks like a gum leaf (the outside looks like tree bark so it stands to reason the tongue would look like a leaf).

Wendy
Mandurah, WA
Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar Site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlinoz/

Araminta
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It's not a gum leaf Wendy, if you try to look at it from a different angle, it is like a ridge and either side it looks like a channel running to the gap in the lower jaw. Tell me what you think.

M-L

sacrednavel
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Wonderful photos, everyone!

Araminta
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Hard to imagine that the beak of a Baby Coot is one day going to look just like Mum's beak. There a few more stages it will go through, but trust me. it will.

M-L

Araminta
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I have no idea why the photos are out of order? the Baby was one, then mum and young, then mum and young in the water.Never mind, you'll figure it out.

I would love to see some more of your photos showing baby- beaks that look different to adult-beaks.

M-L

Nahar
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Another interesting one. I have no idea what made its beak like that !! Has anyone seen like this?

Nahar
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Another interesting one. I have no idea what made its beak like that !! Has anyone seen like this?

Araminta
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No idea Nahar, maybe like Pinocchio he (and it is a boywink), has been lying too much, and that made his nose grow longer…. Maybe he fell coming home from a night out, and broke his beak,or his wife broke it ? Or his mum was good friends with a duck? Other than that, no idea.

M-L

laurius
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Great photos. Here's some beak action from me.

Red-rumped Parrot eating dandelion

Red-rumped Parrot female

And killer Wren

Superb Fairywren

Laurius

Araminta
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What's the wren killing? I love the red-rumped girl (?), the light is great, I always find it hard to take photos of a grassy background, can't avoid the noise, same goes for gravel. Well done.

M-L

laurius
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Yeah. Birds in the grass it's quite a challange. Bad angle, you need to crawl... But it's quite fun, especially for those who are observing you :)

Not sure what is that wren killing, it flew away before I was able to identify. But I think the thing had wings :)

Laurius

dwatsonbb
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Black Faced Cormorant

This little girl was a rescue we did today. It was found wandering the streets of a smallish country town near Huonville. Not injured, but appeared very dehydrated. Could not or would not fly. Love the blueish eyes.

Thought she fitted this weeks topic nicely.

We took her to a carer who gave some fluid via a tube to help rehydrate. She will stay in care for 48 hours, before moving to a local wildlife park. Once she can feed herself, she will be released near where she was found.

Hope to post some more photos of her tomorrow in Rescue/Rehabillitaion.

Dale Huonville, Tasmania

Araminta
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That is just beautiful Dale, can't wait to see more photos.Well done !!!yes

M-L

Roly
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I'm brand new here so I hope this works!

Wild Rainbow Lorikeet in Healesville, Victoria.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36062443@N04/8370246442

Hmm! So that didn't work! Help!!!

Can I download a pic straight from my Flickr account?

Araminta
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no problem, you just have to copy and paste the code. Here is your photo, hope you don't mind me doing it for you, as your settings on Flickr aren't private.

M-L

Araminta
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O, sorry, welcome to the forumyes

M-L

Roly
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Thanks so much for doing that! I feel very honoured. Unfortunately, I'm from the nibbed pen and inkwell era so I'm a little slow at this. Which code do I copy and paste please?

Thanks for the welcome,

Roly

Araminta
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I posted some instructions under social for you Roly, hope it helps?

M-L

Roly
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Beaks...

Rainbow Lorikeet, Healesville, Victoria.

Roly
Roly's picture

Beaks...

Rainbow Lorikeet, Healesville, Victoria.

Roly
Roly's picture

Beaks...

Kookaburra, Echuca, Victoria.

Roly
Roly's picture

Beaks...

Macaw, Australia Zoo, Queensland.

Roly
Roly's picture

Beaks...

Emu, Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria.

Roly
Roly's picture

Beaks...

Emu, Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria.

Araminta
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wink, this is the other Emu girls they keep at Healesville, the staff call her "Frizzle" because of her hairdoo. Spot the difference?

M-L

Roly
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Isn't she beautiful? I wonder what they call mine?

At first I thought it was dandruff but on closer inspection I see it's just a few grey ones coming through. Just like me!!! ;)

rawshorty
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Well i am late for the party but here are a few from me.


Emu- by rawshorty, on Flickr 


Emu 2- by rawshorty, on Flickr 


cormorant-4455 by rawshorty, on Flickr 


pigeon-0228 by rawshorty, on Flickr 

Shorty......Canon gear

Canberra

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/ 

Roly
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Hi Rawshorty, aren't emus amazing creatures? Is that 'Frizzie' from Healesville sanctuary?

The cormorant beak is just perfect for spear fishing!

rawshorty
rawshorty's picture

Hi Rolyd, no this one is at Canberra Zoo but we have plenty of wild ones not too far from here. This one seems to like posing for the camera. I remember as a kid we used to go to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and they would reach over your shoulder to pinch your fruit even apples. Hopefully i will get the chance this year to go and try to get some pics of the chicks.

Shorty......Canon gear

Canberra

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/ 

---
---'s picture

Hey Rawshorty,I think the "cormorant" in pic 3 is actually an Australasian Darter.

Araminta
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Yes Nathan, you are absolutely right, it is a female Darter.

M-L

rawshorty
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Thank you Nathan for the correction, i should stop assuming and use the identification section first blush and thank you M-L for the confirmation. Only new to birding but i hope i will learn quickly.

Shorty......Canon gear

Canberra

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/ 

Woko
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You will & you'll love it as well as being amazed, rawshorty. I still do & am in all respects.

Cotton
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All the photos here are phenomenal! Three birds I like the most are the Eastern Spinebill, Red necked Avocet and Rainbow Bee Eater, and their beak/bills as well. That Tawny Frogmouth looks unreal! and that Eastern Spinebill is pretty much the best photo I have ever seen, M-L!

Curtis

Woko
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That red-necked avocet's bill takes the cake, Curtis - & probably would if it saw one on a plate somewhere.

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