After at least 3 weeks of trying this flighty fellow at last stayed still long enough for me to get a photo. Still need a little more sun to bring out those lovely wing colours.
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Hi Lyn
You are very lucky to have a Common Bronzewing (which is NOT COMMON) come to a feeder table.
The colours come up well enough.
Cheers
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
HI Denis and Lyn
Just curious Denis, what do you mean by it is not common?
Thanks
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Hi Birdie
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It has the name of "Common Bronzewing", but relative to many other birds, I believe it is seen less frequently, and is presumably less "numerous".
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In south-eastern NSW I would count myself lucky to see one once in a month of travelling though appropriate habitat.
By contrast with Galahs, or even Crested Pigeons, which I would rate as "common" in many populated areas, and rural agricultural "wheatbelt" regions, where both species might be rated as "abundant".
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I realise that there are areas where those birds are not found at all, but, on balance, I feel confident that they are much more "common" than Bronzewings, which seldom are seen in large numbers anywhere, even if they are not "rare".
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I was really just referring to an inappropriate name having been applied as a "specific" name. If you see them frequently, do you get them in large numbers?
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Hope this clarifies the issue for you.
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Thanks Denis.
Now that I think of it I don't recall seeing one for a while. I think it must have been in Perth that they were common. Does that sound right?
I found a lovely picture of one on another site. I'll try to find it again as it showed lots of different coloours in the wings.
Cheers
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
just found it again
http://www.mdahlem.net/phot/phtbirds.php
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Nice shot, Lyn. Ilove the colour on the wings of this shy species.
Cheers,
George
Melbourne, VIC
I have posted this link elsewhere on this forum this morning, re a Grey Shrike-thrush.
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By coincidence there are 2 images of a Common Bronzewing Pigeon on the same blog posting.
http://peonyden.blogspot.com/2007/12/wollondilly-river-gorge-from-bullio.html
There are a few notes there on how to tell Common Bronzewings apart from Brush Bronzewings.
As I have noted there, they are birds which come to pools to drink - usually in the early morning and late afternoon. During the day they travel long distances to food, as long as they can get back again to water.
Cheers
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Last night a pair came in to my feeder. I think the first shy one has been "checking me out" and I am hoping they will nest nearby. My book says they like to be near water too - I have a very small pond (frog pond mainly), and am about 1/2 km from a small creek, so perhaps that is their habitat. I love them visiting.
Hi Lyn
Best wishes with them.
They have very short legs, so need open water edges, so they can virtually stand beside or even in the shallow water, to get a drink.
Keep us informed.
Their call is a very low, quiet, booming call "oom" repeated frequently from high in a tree. It is NOT like a Wonga Pigeon which just keeps on going. Single call, repeated maybe at 10 second intervals. You really have to get your head around it to realise that it is a bird call.
Worth listening out for.
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Cheers
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Lyn you are so lucky to have them.
Top shot,well done.
Denis - Thanks very much for the call info. I will listen extra hard for them - I am sure the pair is spending quite a bit of time nearby. They are coming in together every day now.
Do they build the same sort of flimsy nest that the Crested Pigeons build?
G'day Lyn,
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I hope you don't mind a reply from me. We have a pair which sometimes nests in the park near our house. They must build the flimsiest nests that I have ever seen. Barely enough twigs to to be called a nest. It seems to do the job because, last year, they fledged a couple of offspring.
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Cheers,
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George
Cheers,
George
Melbourne, VIC
George - Certainly don't mind a reply from you. Seems to be a pigeon-thing to build a hopeless nest!
Was their nest low or high in the tree - I ask because we are surrounded by a variety of trees and it may be a help to know just where to start looking for a nest! Only one bird came in this morning so I am getting optimistic that they are indeed nesting nearby.
Hi Lyn - what a remarkably small head in relation to its body mass. You are lucky to have gained its confidence enough for it to nest nearby or perhaps in your garden. Good shooting.
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
Hi Lyn
BiBY website for this species says: "Common Bronzewings build an untidy nest of sticks and twigs. It is normally placed low down in a tree or bush, but may be up to 20 m above the ground."
The only one I ever saw was in a Scribbly Gum (or similar white barked Eucalypt, about 15 metres high, on a horizontal fork.
Very flimsy indeed.
Listen for the low call - it carries up to 100 metres, so it is not as hard as all that to track down, should you hear it. But it does not sound like one of the rainforest pigeons. Very soft, gentle call.
Cheers
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com