Bird Portraits - Post Yours!

[Jack Dawe]

That is one good looking pigeon! So different from ours. Are they considered common birds too, in South Africa?

They seemed to be fairly common, but they have quite a few species of pigeons and doves there
.

 

[Jack Dawe]

A black swan. I believe they are native to Australia?
I saw one once, in the canals of Amsterdam. No doubt escaped from some place. It was the weirdest thing seeing it suddenly appear from under a bridge.

Escaped Black Swans are regularly seen in northern Europe. There are more than a few in Britain and even one or two pairs that breed.

 

[Jack Dawe]

Not been around much recently. This might suggest why.

View attachment 9665

View attachment 9666

Now are you in Australia or New Zealand?

 

[EdC]

Now are you in Australia or New Zealand?

The blue one is the clue

 

[Jack Dawe]

The blue one is the clue

Not really. It's a really widespread species. In Australia it's called Australasian Swamphen and in NZ Pukeko - and in the rest of the world Purple Gallinule.

 

[Jack Dawe]

Northrn Giant Petrel.

 

[fotoi]

Drake Mallard

 

[Darren75]

Northrn Giant Petrel.View attachment 9760

Geez, that's some bill! What does it eat?

 

[Jack Dawe]

Geez, that's some bill! What does it eat?

Yeah, it's as mean as hell. Food is primarily corpses of seabirds, whales, dolphins, and chicks of albatrosses and penguins, also adult birds up to the size of albatrosses.

 

[EdC]

Not really. It's a really widespread species. In Australia it's called Australasian Swamphen and in NZ Pukeko - and in the rest of the world Purple Gallinule.

That’s true. I forgot they were in Oz as well.