Thursday, January 14, 2016

FERAL FOWL

Photographed on Norfolk Island January 2016
333              FERAL FOWL (RED JUNGLEFOWL)             Gallus gallus

Australia         (595)        See Nepal   (10)

Known locally in the Philippines as Labuyo. Range from Tamil Nadu, South India east across southern China and into Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. Thought to be ancestor of domestic chicken. feral population of domestic fowl established on Norfolk Island.




SLENDER-BILLED WHITE-EYE

Photographed Norfolk Island January 2016
751              SLENDER-BILLED WHITE-EYE             Zosterops albogularis

Australia            (594)

Found in rainforests, palm forest, tall regrowth; replaced by Silvereye in gardens and edge habitat. Range: endemic to Norfolk Island., mostly in the NP in the n.





NORFOLK ROBIN

Female Norfolk Robin, photographed Norfolk Island January 2016
750                 NORFOLK ROBIN        Petroica multicolor

Australia            (593)

Also known as Pacific Robin, Norfolk Island Scarlet Robin and Norfolk Island Robin. It was considered cospecific with the Scarlet Robin but was separated in 1999 and became part of the Pacific Robin family. In 2015 it was determined to be a distinct species. Found in native sub-tropical rainforests, with lower densities in other wooded habitat; it prefers areas with a dense understory and an open ground layer with deep, moist litter for foraging. Range: endemic to Norfolk Island, restricted to Mt Pitt section of NP, and nearby pockets of remnant forest.

Male, Norfolk Robin

Male, Norfolk Robin

Female, Norfolk Robin






MASKED BOOBY

Photographed from Norfolk Island January 2016
 749               MASKED BOOBY             Sula dactylatra

Australia             (592)


74-86 cm, wingspan c. 1.7 cm. Range: breeds Bedout and Adele Is. (WA); Pandora Cay and Raine I. (ne Q); Swain and Wreck Reefs (ce Q); also many stations in sw Coral Sea; Norfolk and Lord Howe Is. Fairly common in oceanic waters of main range, usually well offshore; uncommon coastal. 


Photographs taken on Norfolk Island, January 2016 showing young at various stages and an adult flying.




RED-TAILED TROPICBIRD

Photographed on Norfolk Island January 2016
 748                RED-TAILED TROPICBIRD             Phaethon rubicauda

Australia             (591)

Also known as the Red-tailed Bosunbird. Found on tropical seas, islands, coasts; seldom near land except at nesting sites. 86 cm, incl tail 40 cm; wingspan c. 1 m. Range: in e. Aust. breeds Raine Is (Coral Sea); Herald Cays and Coringa Inlets, Gt Barrier reef; Lord Howe and Norfolk Is. and widely through Pacific Ocean; also Cocos Keeling Is., Christmas Island and Ashmore Reef (Indian Ocean). In s WA small colony persists Sugarloaf Rock. Dispersive.



















Young still in nest



CALIFORNIAN QUAIL

Photographed on Norfolk Island January 2016
747               CALIFORNIAN QUAIL                 Callipepla californica

Australia             (590)

Introduced species. Found in rank grassland in scrubs, stunted woodlands; dense tea-tree thickets. Range: w. N. America; introduced to parts NSW, Vic., Tas., from 1863. Most introductions failed, but remains fairly common King Is., Bass Strait and Norfolk Island. Sedentary.



BLACK-WINGED PETREL

Photographed at Norfolk Island January 2016
746            BLACK-WINGED PETREL             Pterodroma nigripennis

Australia     (589)

28-30 cm, wingspan c. 67 cm. Range: Breeds Lord Howe Island and recently Norfolk Island; Muttonbird Island (NSW).







WHITE TERN

Photographed on Norfolk Island January 2016
745            WHITE-TERN           Gygis alba

Australia          (588)

Also known as Love Tern and White Noddy. 30-33 cm, wingspan c. 76 cm. Found on oceanic islands; tropical and sub-tropical seas. Range: Norfolk, Lord Howe and Kermadec Is. Casual coastal e. Aust. from se Vic. to ne Q, summer-autumn-winter after storms. 






WANDERING TATTLER

Photographed on Norfolk Island January 2016
744            WANDERING TATTLER             Tringa incana

Australia          (587)

Found in specific habitat: prefers coral islands and cays of Great Barrier Reef; rocky reefs, islands and wave-washed rocks and rock platforms; occasionally to other tidal areas. 26-29 cm. Range: breeds ne Siberia, Alaska and n. Canada: migrates to e. Asia, C and S America and widely to islands in c. and sw Pacific, s. to NZ. Uncommon but probably regular summer migrant (Sept-Mar).




ROSE-CROWNED FRUIT-DOVE

Photographed at Samsonvale, Queensland January 2016
743          ROSE-CROWNED FRUIT-DOVE              Ptilinopus regina

Australia          (586)

Also known as Red-crowned Fruit-dove, Fruit-pigeon or Pigeon. 20-25 cm.Found in rainforests, vine scrubs; adjacent eucalypt forests woodlands; swamp woodlands, mangroves, berry or fruit-bearing trees in farms, gardens, public and private. Range: coastal nw., n. and e. Aust. and coastal islands, from c. Broome (WA) to Arnham Land, e to Pellet Group (NT), and from Torres Strait islands and C. York Pen (Q) s. to c. Hunter R (NSW); casual s. coast NSW, s Vic. and Tas. Fairly common and migratory. Dispersive and nomadic.