Hello everybody!
We moved to the rainforest near Kuranda a couple of years ago from Wollongong in NSW .It is fascinating to meeting so much new wildlife here, with frogs and birds being most abundant.
The highlight is the fact that our garden/forest is part of a male cassowary's home range.We have many opportunities to watch him and his chicks and occasionally the local female, too.
If you'd like to see the adults mating (with 2 chicks wandering around them), have a look at our blog: (have removed the link - Holly)
We also started a list of the birds seen in our garden, with the latest addition being a flock of about 50 (so difficult to count!) chestnut-breatsed mannikins.
Quite a few questions remain unanswered regarding the behavior and biology of cassowaries.Is there anyone in your 'Birds in Backyards"community who might have some answers? The www has not been very helpful.
Regards, Christina and Thomas
Welcome Tom! Wow, what a move you have made. Sounds like an amazing spot.
Certainly post your cassowary questions and we will see how we go. If you don't get answers here I can pass on your questions to fellow BirdLife Australia staff and see if anyone can help.
(I am a Wollongong girl myself)
Hi,I don't know anything about the behaviour of the cassowaries., but I would encourage you not to advertise your business on this forum, the rules and regulations tell everyone not to. Thanks.
M-L
Yes sorry guys, no advertising on the forum (though I know it was just to share images from your blog). Apologies, I should have picked that up before I replied. The forum rules are in the announcement section but should be in every section - especially here so I will sticky them in all sections.
Sorry, did not know about not mentioning our website.
Our reason for joining this forum is to share our birdlife with interested people and maybe get some answers to questions we have about certain species.
If you want to watch the mating cassowaries, here is the link to the utube video (hopefully that's ok).
Christina
http://youtu.be/Sdf7fOkf1pk
Christina
Treasure those cassowaries, Christina. They're a vanishing breed!
It is no problem at all guys, all taken care of. Welcome to BIBY
Apart from IDs, is the best place for more general questions (behavior, biology etc.) the "General "forum?
Can I also post birdcalls for identification?
Oh yes, we feel very privileged to be around cassowaries! Fortunately, our resident male and female have very mellow characters, so I do not jump out of my skin when, while I am gardening, one suddenly is near me. There used to be a rather cranky old female around, but apparently she swapped territory (anyone ever heard of something like that?) with the other girl.
Christina
Christina
Yes I think the general forum is great for general birdy questions - and calls can definitely go in the ID section
YOu are totally so priviledged to have Cassowary's in your garden. I saw one once in the Atherton Tablelands when we did a night time eco tour . WE stopped for afternoon tea by a lake and it just popped out of the bush...extraordinary birds!
Can you PM me with your blog link please as I would be interested to have a look . Thanks
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Hi Birdie!
Good news on the cassowary front here: dad just reappeared, after an absence of more than 2 months with 3 tiny chicks.
I am not sure that I am allowed to send you our blog link on this forum (what do you mean by:"PM me"??). If you send me your email adress, then I can do it that way (my adress is ).
Christina
We have the ability to personal message on here. If you look at the top of the page you will see where it says messages, just click on it and enter Birdie into the box to be ablel to message me. I would not suggest anythign that is not allowed as I am a moderator on this forum.
Cheers
BIrdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland