Alectura lathami Australian Brushturkey

Common Names: Australian Brushturkey, Australian Brush-turkey, Bush Turkey, Scrub Turkey
Species: Alectura lathami
Family: MEGAPODIIDAE

Ah the infamous bush turkey, the bane of many a vegetable gardener. Scrub turkeys are problematic for the gardener because the males will scrape together leaf litter and form large mounds for the females to lay their eggs into. However these turkeys have a tendency to be vandals and don't mind digging a few of your young plants up in the process. The one in this photograph is a female as it lacks the more intense colouring and neck gobble of the male.

Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

Common Names: Silver Gull, Seagull, Common Seagull
Species: Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Family: LARIDAE

The Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) is commonly referred to as just 'Seagulls' by many Australians and is the bane of many a picnic along the coastline. Master scavengers, they tend to surround you when you're sitting on the grass enjoying some greasy deep fried, heavily salted chips. That's exactly what this one was doing today, it looks a little frustrated though, perhaps it was annoyed that I wasn't going to feed it. This one's an adult, juveniles will normally still have some of their brown juvenile feathers and their legs will be more yellow. When not stealing chips from locals and tourists alike, Silver Gulls enjoy feeding on small fish, insects, small crustaceans and any type of marine or terrestrial worm they can find. Their numbers are greatest where they co-inhabit with humans, similar to other human-food scavenging birds such as Pigeons.

Dendrocygna arcuata Wandering Whistling Duck

Common Names: Wandering Whistling Duck
Species: Dendrocygna arcuata
Family: ANATIDAE

The Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) is named after their load whistling call and the whistling noise that their wings make during flight. They are native to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. The diet of the Wandering Whistling Duck consists mainly of grasses and aquatic plants, but they also occasionally eat invertebrates too. Their breeding season occurs between December and May. They were all busy preening themselves while I was taking photos.

Ninox connivens Barking Owl Front

Common Names: Barking Owl, Barking Boobook, Winking Owl
Species: Ninox connivens
Family: STRIGIDAE

A shot of the front of Ninox connivens, the Barking Owl or Barking Boobook at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Ninox connivens Barking Owl

Common Names: Barking Owl, Barking Boobook, Winking Owl
Species: Ninox connivens
Family: STRIGIDAE

The Barking Owl (Ninox connivens) is a nocturnal owl species native to Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea. They are a medium sized owl with distinctive calls that can sound like a dog barking or a woman screaming. The call of the Barking Owl may have been behind many peoples claims of having heard Bunyips (a mythological creature) in Australia. This one is kept in captivity at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.