G'day . My name is Sergio , live in Narrawallee , New South Wales and I would like some help in identifying this bird . It cames to the yard with a covey of non-black quails to eat the bits of apple and bananas I leave for them . I did a image search but didn't find anything even close to it .
I hope to get clearer images but these bellow are the ones I have at the moment . Thank you for any information , it tickled my curiosity as it looks a bit out of the norm .
Hi Sergio - thats a male and female (or juvenille) Satin Bowerbird
Cheers
Holly
Thank you Holly , much appreciated . That's interesting , the male does come on its own more often than not . I thought it looked odd for a quail but then again I don't know much about birds , just love them .
Once again thanks for the prompt answer . I will check on their favourites fruits later , in the meantime apples and bananas (I stocked up) it is .
Hi Sergio. Nice photos of the satin bower bird. While it's great that you love birds can I encourage you to love them by providing their natural habitat (which will provide them with their natural food) rather than feeding them fruit? Naturally, they benefit most from the fruit their natural habitat provides but, sadly, they may be damaged by food we might feed them. There are quite a few posts about this issue so you might want to check out the debate that occurs from time to time about artificially feeding native birds.
Hi Woko . I am weary of feeding the birds but as for providing a natural habitat I am afraid that I would not know where to start .
My wife and I moved to Leo Drive , Narrawallee (see map) last June . You will notice outlines of future roads in the map west of Leo Drive showing a area earmarked for house developments (mostly villa complexes) . You can disregard trees from the map for at least 200 metres wide all the way to the first side street north of Leo Drive .
I took some photos this morning before the heavy machinery arrival as they are back after many idle months .
Their natural habitat is going to pieces at full speed . This has created an overpopulation of displaced birds and small mammals (echidnas are now living in my neighbour's garden) in the remaining untouched land .
Little Wattle birds are working overtime protecting their territory (it is their street) from the many and varied honey eaters around . They also don't seem to care if the bower birds are ground birds and not interested in the many flowers of our garden .
I am adding the map and a photo or two of the land clearance . I will try to highlight the area affected so far .
Sorry I wasn't very clear on the feeding subject . I am against feeding the birds , which I don't do very often at all . It has been a dry winter and the birds around here were distressed and dying , according to my neighbour , until recent rains . They are displaced animals and she mentioned that if happens again next winter she will be tempted to give them seed .
I didn't mean to highjack the Id. thread .
Hi Sergio. It's a real challenge to provide habitat in new housing developments which have replaced the natural bushland with suburbia. However, I believe every little bit helps & if concerned people such as yourself can publicise what you're doing & why you're doing it then there's a chance that some of the displaced wildlife might survive.
I guess the area available on which to restore natural habitat is one of the first considerations & I imagine that, relatively speaking, people in your situation don't have a lot to work with. However, if you can get information on the plant species which live in the natural bushland nearby then plant the same species appropriate to your situation you'll be doing what you can. More than likely there's an environmental group which is fighting to protect what is left of the bushland & this group would have information about the indigenous vegetation. Your local council should have information about such a group. In fact, if your local council is worth its salt then it will have indigenous plant information readily available through its environmental officer.
If you can enlist the support of other people in your neighbourhood then it's possible to establish wildlife corridors through your suburb & even adjacent suburbs. The particular street tree species used by councils are critical in establishing wildlife corridors. It has even been known for phantom indigenous tree & shrub planters to work surreptitiously in establishing appropriate wildlife habitat in streets & parks. As well, traffic roundabouts & street verges are great places for planting idigenous understorey plants which might provide habitat for butterflies, birds & other creatures. They can also act as nurseries for local native plants so that people can use seeds & cuttings from these plants to extend wildlife corridors.
Often a local newspaper is a good avenue for publicising your interest & efforts in protecting what is left of the adjacent bushland's wildlife. Local schools, too, may have a teacher or two who takes classes in things environmental & who might be interested in using your neighbourhood as a classroom for students. The school newsletter which would have a wide readership is a great way of publicising your efforts & the efforts of any involved students.
There are many ways of going about providing habitat for displaced wildlife & you will no doubt work out which is most appropriate for your circumstances. Good luck!
Hi Woko , thanks for the reply .
We arrived a few months after the clearing and were told that the cutting , shredding and pulping occurred almost overnight and the logs of hundred of trees taken away immediatelly .
I have no idea whether they were groups opposed to it but I must check on it . I will have a chat with more neighbours and also chase information on local (if any) environment groups . There could be some ongoing project in the area but I honestly doubt it as I would have noticed something by now .
Thanks again .