Other birds from up north
Here are a bunch of other wonderful birds from the north of Australia that didn’t fit into any of the categories above … but still deserve to be seen!
Spangle me drongo!
Spangled drongo
In Australia, a drongo is word to describe a fool, although usually with more humour than bad attitude. This useage came about because of a very shabby racehorse who never won, who’s name was, you guessed it, Drongo. Drongo the racehorse was actually named after the species of bird.
Drongos often appear black but in fact shimmer with deep blues and greens in the right light. They are common around Darwin and much of Queensland and their ‘fishtails’ make them easy to identify.
Square dance
Partridge pigeon
These pretty pigeons visit me at my studio – which makes me very lucky as they are actually a vulnerable species. The reasons for this are not entirely clear, with feral cats being one likely cause. More extensive burning practices are likely to be the major problem however, with many seeds these ground dwelling birds rely on being in short supply as introduced plants take over native species and burn hotter than native grasses.
Little red-head
Red headed honey eater
Cute as these little birds might be they are aggressive defenders of their territory, usually tackling intruders in the air and letting go just before the tussling pair hit the ground.
They prefer mangroves where they build small cup shaped nests, suspended above the water.
Mr Pee Wee goes to town
peewee/Murray magpie/mudlark/peewit
Strutting around the streets of Darwin, Mr Pee Wee certainly appears to be on a very important outing.
A bird of many names, it is also a bird of many locations, being found across much of Australia. As such, you’ll find this cheeky fellow in southern birds too!