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Halls Gap Zoo
Halls Gap Zoo is a country zoo located about from Halls Gap, Victoria, Australia. From the zoo you can see Grampians National Park. It is Victoria's largest regional zoo, holding over 160 native and exotic species. History Halls Gap Zoo was originally opened in the early 1980s as Wallaroo Wildlife Park. The new owners in 1998 opened the gates as the Halls Gap Wildlife Park & Zoo. It was sold to the current owners in December 2007 and is now operating as the Halls Gap Zoo. The zoo opened a new nocturnal house in 2008, along with a wetlands area for waterfowl. Animals The Zoo has a mixture of about 160 native and exotic species. The native animals at the zoo include koalas, kangaroos, emus, wombats, dingoes and wallabies. Exotic animals at the zoo include bison, monkeys, deer, giraffes, ostriches and cheetahs. There are also a variety of reptiles (including saltwater crocodiles) and birds at the zoo. ;Birds * African firefinch * Australian wood duck * Black swan * Black-face ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Halls Gap, Victoria
Halls Gap is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is located on Grampians Road, adjacent to the Grampians National Park, in the Shire of Northern Grampians local government area. The town is set in the Fyans Valley at the foot of the Wonderland and Mount William ranges. At the 2016 census Halls Gap had a population of 430. The approximate driving time from Melbourne is 3 hours. History The first settler was Charles Browning Hall who set out in search of a suitable grazing run when he found the cattle market at Port Phillip overstocked in 1841. Establishing a station just east of the Grampians in a spot known as "Mokepilli" to the indigenous inhabitants the Mukjarawaint. Halls Gap was originally located at where the now Lake Bellfield Reservoir is now located. Hall discovered the gap by following Aboriginal tracks. Hall's Gap Post Office opened on 3 February 1893, closed in 1896, and reopened in 1902. Indigenous Peoples The indigenous people of the area are the Mukjarawaint. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African Firefinch
The African firefinch (''Lagonosticta rubricata''), also called the blue-billed firefinch, is a common species of estrildid finch found in many parts of Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of . Taxonomy The African firefinch was formally described in 1823 by the German naturalist Hinrich Lichtenstein. He placed it with the finches in the genus ''Fringilla'' and coined the binomial name ''Fringilla rubricata''. Lichtenstein gave the locality as "terra Caffrorum". This has been restricted to the town of Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The specific epithet ''rubricata'' is from Latin ''rubricatus'' meaning "orange-red" or "ruddy". The African firefinch is now placed in the genus ''Lagonosticta'' that was introduced in 1851 by Jean Cabanis. An alternative common name for this species is the blue-billed firefinch. Five subspecies are recognised. * ''L. r. polionota'' Shelley, 1873 – south Senegal to Nigeria * ''L. r. congica'' Sharpe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crimson Rosella
The crimson rosella (''Platycercus elegans'') is a parrot native to eastern and south eastern Australia which has been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. It is commonly found in, but not restricted to, mountain forests and gardens. The species as it now stands has subsumed two former separate species, the yellow rosella and the Adelaide rosella. Molecular studies show one of the three red-coloured races, ''P. e. nigrescens'', is genetically more distinct. Taxonomy The crimson rosella was described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in the 13th edition of ''Systema Naturae'' in 1788 as ''Psittacus elegans''. The binomial name had been used by Clusius to describe the hawk-headed parrot in 1605, however this predates the start of Linnean taxonomy. The crimson rosella had been described and named by John Latham in 1781 as the "Beautiful Lory", from a specimen in the collection of Sir Joseph Banks, and then as the "Pennantian Parrot" in 1787 in honour of Thomas Pennant. Howeve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Common Ostrich
The common ostrich (''Struthio camelus''), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain large areas of Africa and is the largest living bird species. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the genus ''Struthio'' in the ratite order of birds. The other is the Somali ostrich (''Struthio molybdophanes''), which was recognized as a distinct species by BirdLife International in 2014 having been previously considered a distinctive subspecies of ostrich. The common ostrich belongs to the order (biology), order Struthioniformes. Struthioniformes previously contained all the ratites, such as the Kiwi (bird), kiwis, emus, Rhea (bird), rheas, and Cassowary, cassowaries. However, recent genetic analysis has found that the group is not monophyletic, as it is paraphyletic with respect to the tinamous, so the ostriches are now classified as the only members of the order. Phylogenetic studies have shown that it is the sister group to all ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cape Barren Goose
The Cape Barren goose (''Cereopsis novaehollandiae'') is a large goose resident in southern Australia. Etymology The species' common name is derived from Cape Barren Island, where specimens were first sighted by European explorers. It is known in the local Jardwadjali language as ''toolka''. Taxonomy The Cape Barren goose was first described by English ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the current binomial name. It is a most peculiar goose of uncertain affiliations (Sraml ''et al.'' 1996). It may either belong in the "true geese" and swan subfamily Anserinae or in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae as distinct tribe Cereopsini, or be separated, possibly including the prehistorically extinct flightless New Zealand geese of the genus ''Cnemiornis'', in a distinct subfamily Cereopsinae. The first bones of the New Zealand birds to be discovered were similar enough to those of the Cape Barren goose to erroneously refer to them as "New Zealand Cape Barren goose" (''"Cereopsis" n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Canada Goose
The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is occasionally found during migration across the Atlantic in northern Europe. It has been introduced to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Japan, Chile, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands. Like most geese, the Canada goose is primarily herbivorous and normally migratory; often found on or close to fresh water, the Canada goose is also common in brackish marshes, estuaries, and lagoons. Extremely adept at living in human-altered areas, Canada geese have established breeding colonies in urban and cultivated habitats, which provide food and few natural predators. The success of this common park species has led to its often being considered a pest species because of its excrement, its depredation of crops, its n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bush Stone-curlew
The bush stone-curlew or bush thick-knee, also known as the Iben bird (''Burhinus grallarius'', obsolete name ''Burhinus magnirostris'') is a large, ground-dwelling bird endemic to Australia. Its favoured habitat is open plains and woodlands, where it stalks slowly at night in search of invertebrates such as insects. Its grey-brown coloration is distinguished by dark streaks, its eyes are large and legs are long. It is capable of flight, but relies on the camouflage of its plumage to evade detection during the day; the bush curlew adopts a rigid posture when it becomes aware of an observer. Both sexes care for two eggs laid on the bare ground, usually sited near bush in a shaded position or next to a fallen branch. Taxonomy The bush stone-curlew was first described by English ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the binomial name ''Charadius grallarius''. Latham published three names simultaneously; however, the seniority of ''C. grallarius'' follows the publication of the nam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Budgerigar
The budgerigar ( ; ''Melopsittacus undulatus''), also known as the common parakeet or shell parakeet, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot usually nicknamed the budgie ( ), or in American English, the parakeet. Budgies are the only species in the genus ''Melopsittacus''. Naturally, the species is green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back, and wings. Budgies are bred in captivity with colouring of blues, whites, yellows, greys, and even with small crests. Juveniles and chicks are monomorphic, while adults are told apart by their cere colouring, and their behaviour. The species is the only member of the genus ''Melopsittacus'', which is the only genus in the Melopsittacini tribe. The origin of the budgerigar's name is unclear. First recorded in 1805, budgerigars are popular pets around the world due to their small size, low cost, and ability to mimic human speech. They are likely the third most popular pet in the world, after the domesticated d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brolga
The brolga (''Antigone rubicunda''), formerly known as the native companion, is a bird in the crane family. It has also been given the name Australian crane, a term coined in 1865 by well-known ornithologist John Gould in his ''Birds of Australia''. The brolga is a common, gregarious wetland bird species of tropical and south-eastern Australia and New Guinea. It is a tall, upright bird with a small head, long beak, slender neck, and long legs. Its plumage is mainly grey, with black wing tips, and it has an orange-red band on its head. The brolga's courting dance is similar to that of other cranes. The nest is built of wetland vegetation, either on an elevated piece of land or floating on shallow water in marshland, and usually two eggs are laid. Incubation takes 32 days, and the newly hatched young are precocial. The adult diet is omnivorous and includes plant matter, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. Although the bird is not considered endangered over the majority of its r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blue-and-gold Macaw
The blue-and-yellow macaw (''Ara ararauna''), also known as the blue-and-gold macaw, is a large South American parrot with mostly blue top parts and light orange underparts, with gradient hues of green on top of its head. It is a member of the large group of neotropical parrots known as macaws. It inhabits forest (especially varzea, but also in open sections of ''terra firme'' or unflooded forest), woodland and savannah of tropical South America. They are popular in aviculture because of their striking color, ability to talk, ready availability in the marketplace, and close bonding to humans. They can also live for 65–70 years. Taxonomy The blue-and-yellow macaw was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. He placed it with all the other parrots in the genus '' Psittacus'' and coined the binomial name ''Psittacus ararauna''. This macaw is now one of the eight extant species placed in the genus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blue Peafowl
The Indian peafowl (''Pavo cristatus''), also known as the common peafowl, and blue peafowl, is a peafowl species native to the Indian subcontinent. It has been introduced to many other countries. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are referred to as peahens, even though peafowl of either sex are often referred to colloquially as "peacocks". Indian peafowl display a marked form of sexual dimorphism. The peacock is brightly coloured, with a predominantly blue fan-like crest of spatula-tipped wire-like feathers and is best known for the long train made up of elongated upper-tail covert feathers which bear colourful eyespots. These stiff feathers are raised into a fan and quivered in a display during courtship. Despite the length and size of these covert feathers, peacocks are still capable of flight. Peahens lack the train, have a white face and iridescent green lower neck, and dull brown plumage. The Indian peafowl lives mainly on the ground in o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black-winged Stilt
The black-winged stilt (''Himantopus himantopus'') is a widely distributed very long-legged wader in the avocet and stilt family (Recurvirostridae). The scientific name ''H. himantopus'' is sometimes applied to a single, almost cosmopolitan species. Alternatively, it is restricted to the form that is widespread in Europe, Asia and Africa, which equals the nominate group of ''Himantopus himantopus'' ''sensu lato'' (whereas the black-necked, ''H. mexicanus'', and white-backed stilt, ''H. melanurus'', both inhabit the Americas, and the pied stilt, ''H. leucocephalus'', inhabit southeast Asia to Australia and New Zealand). Most sources today accept 1–4 species. The scientific name ''Himantopus'' comes from the Greek meaning "strap foot" or "thong foot". Description Adults are long. They have long pink legs, a long thin black bill and are blackish above and white below, with a white head and neck with a varying amount of black. Males have a black back, often with greenish gloss. F ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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