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Shag Island (South Australia)
Shag Island is a low island located at the mouth of Fisherman Bay in Spencer Gulf, South Australia. It is approximately 22 ha (54 acres) in size with a peak elevation of approximately 4 metres (13 feet). It is uninhabited by humans but is home to thousands of cormorants which roost and breed there. It is also an important nursery-ground for fish. In April 2013, the discovery of several sick and dead cormorants near Fisherman Bay raised public concerns for the health of the Shag Island colony. The discovery coincided with significant fish and dolphin mortality events around the state, mostly concentrated in Spencer Gulf and Gulf St. Vincent. Wildlife The following birds have been recorded at Shag Island: great cormorant, little black cormorant, pied cormorant, little pied cormorant, red-necked stint, sharp-tailed sandpiper, red-capped plover, banded stilt, bar-tailed godwit, grey plover, common greenshank The common greenshank (''Tringa nebularia'') is a wader in the la ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spencer Gulf
The Spencer Gulf is the westernmost and larger of two large inlets (the other being Gulf St Vincent) on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, facing the Great Australian Bight. It spans from the Cape Catastrophe and Eyre Peninsula in the west to Cape Spencer and Yorke Peninsula in the east. The largest towns on the gulf are Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Pirie, and Port Augusta. Smaller towns on the gulf include Tumby Bay, Port Neill, Arno Bay, Cowell, Port Germein, Port Broughton, Wallaroo, Port Hughes, Port Victoria, Port Rickaby, Point Turton, and Corny Point. History The first recorded exploration of the gulf was that of Matthew Flinders in February 1802. Flinders navigated inland from the present location of Port Augusta to within of the termination of the water body. The gulf was named ''Spencer's Gulph'' by Flinders on 20 March 1802, after George John Spencer, the 2nd Earl Spencer. The Baudin expedition visited the gulf after Flind ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
The sharp-tailed sandpiper (''Calidris acuminata'') (but see below) is a small wader. Taxonomy A review of data has indicated that this bird should perhaps better be placed into the genus ''Philomachus'' – as ''P. acuminatus'' – which now contains only the ruff but if the sharp-tailed sandpiper is merged into it would need to accommodate the broad-billed sandpiper. While the latter is a peculiar calidrid, the sharp-tailed sandpiper is much more similar to other ''Calidris''/''Erolia'' species such as the pectoral sandpiper. On the one hand, its larger size and long-legged stance, and the breast pattern which gradually fades away on the belly as in the ruff instead of having a fairly sharp border as in the ''Calidris''/''Erolia'' stints indicate that placement in ''Philomachus'' may be correct. Still, it is just as possible that – given the fairly common instances of hybridization in calidrines – mitochondrial DNA data has given a false picture of this species' true af ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Islands Of South Australia
This is a list of selected Australian islands grouped by State or Territory. Australia has 8,222 islands within its maritime borders. Largest islands The islands larger than are: * Tasmania (Tas) ; * Melville Island, Northern Territory (NT), ; * Kangaroo Island, South Australia (SA), ; * Groote Eylandt (NT), ; * Bathurst Island (NT), ; * Fraser Island, Queensland (Qld), ; * Flinders Island (Tas), ; * King Island (Tas), ; and * Mornington Island (Qld), . New South Wales * Amherst Island, in Lake Mummuga * Bare Island, near the north headland of Botany Bay * Belowla Island, off Kioloa Beach * Bird Island, located near Budgewoi, east of the Central Coast * Boondelbah Island, at the mouth of Port Stephens * Brisbane Water: ** Pelican Island ** Riley's Island ** St Hubert's Island (largely artificial, created by raising an inter-tidal wetland above high water level) * Broughton Island, located north of Port Stephens * Broulee Island, located off the coast at Broulee ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Common Greenshank
The common greenshank (''Tringa nebularia'') is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek ''trungas'', a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbing wading bird mentioned by Aristotle. The specific ''nebularia'' is from Latin ''nebula'' "mist". Like the Norwegian ''Skoddefoll'', this refers to the greenshank's damp marshy habitat. Relatives Its closest relative is the greater yellowlegs, which together with the spotted redshank form a close-knit group. Among them, these three species show all the basic leg and foot colours found in the shanks, demonstrating that this character is paraphyletic. They are also the largest shanks apart from the willet, which is altogether more robustly built. The greater yellowlegs and the common greenshank share a coarse, dark, and fairly crisp breast pattern as well as much black on the shoulders and back in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grey Plover
The grey plover or black-bellied plover (''Pluvialis squatarola'') is a large plover breeding in Arctic regions. It is a long-distance migrant, with a nearly worldwide coastal distribution when not breeding. Taxonomy The grey plover was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under the binomial name ''Tringa squatarola''. It is now placed with three other plovers in the genus ''Pluvialis'' that was introduced by the French onithologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760. The genus name is Latin and means relating to rain, from ''pluvia'', "rain". It was believed that they flocked when rain was imminent. The species name ''squatarola'' is a Latinised version of ''Sgatarola'', a Venetian name for some kind of plover. The English common name used for this species differs in different parts of the world. It is generally known as "grey plover" in the Old World and "black-bellied plover" in the New World. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bar-tailed Godwit
The bar-tailed godwit (''Limosa lapponica'') is a large and strongly migratory wader in the family Scolopacidae, which feeds on bristle-worms and shellfish on coastal mudflats and estuaries. It has distinctive red breeding plumage, long legs, and a long upturned bill. Bar-tailed godwits breed on Arctic coasts and tundra from Scandinavia to Alaska, and overwinter on coasts in temperate and tropical regions of Australia and New Zealand. The migration of the subspecies ''Limosa lapponica baueri'' across the Pacific Ocean from Alaska to New Zealand is the longest known non-stop flight of any bird, and also the longest journey without pausing to feed by any animal. The round-trip migration for this subspecies is over . Taxonomy The bar-tailed godwit was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his '' Systema Naturae'' under the binomial name ''Scolopax limosa''. It is now placed with three other godwits in the genus ''Limosa'' that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Banded Stilt
The banded stilt (''Cladorhynchus leucocephalus'') is a nomadic wader of the stilt and avocet family, Recurvirostridae, native to Australia. It belongs to the monotypic genus ''Cladorhynchus''. It gets its name from the red-brown breast band found on breeding adults, though this is mottled or entirely absent in non-breeding adults and juveniles. Its remaining plumage is pied and the eyes are dark brown. Nestling banded stilts have white down, unlike any other species of wader. Breeding is triggered by the filling of inland salt lakes by rainfall, creating large shallow lakes rich in tiny shrimp on which the birds feed. Banded stilts migrate to these lakes in large numbers and assemble in large breeding colonies. The female lays three to four brown- or black-splotched whitish eggs on a scrape. If conditions are favourable, a second brood might be laid, though if the lakes dry up prematurely the breeding colonies may be abandoned. The banded stilt is considered to be a species o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-capped Plover
The red-capped plover (''Charadrius ruficapillus''), also known as the red-capped dotterel, is a small species of plover. It breeds in Australia. This species is closely related to (and sometimes considered conspecific with) the Kentish plover, Javan plover, and white-fronted plover. Description Red-capped plovers have a white forehead and underparts. Their upperparts are mainly grey-brown. Adult males have a rufous or reddish-brown crown and hindneck. Adult females have a paler rufous and grey-brown crown and hindneck, with a pale loreal stripe. The upperwing of ''Charadrius ruficapillus'' shows dark brown remiges (flight feathers) and primary covert feathers with a white wingbar in flight. Its length is 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) and its wingspan is 27–34 cm (10.6–13.4 in); it weighs 35–40 g (1.2–1.4 oz). Breeding plumage shows a red-brown crown and nape with black margins. Non-breeding plumage is duller and lacks the black margins. Distribution and habitat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-necked Stint
The red-necked stint (''Calidris ruficollis'') is a small migratory wader. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ''ruficollis'' is from Latin ''rufus'', "red" and ''collum'', "neck". Description These birds are among the smallest of waders, very similar to the little stint, ''Calidris minuta'', with which they were once considered conspecific. The red-necked stint's small size, fine dark bill, dark legs and quicker movements distinguish this species from all waders except the other dark-legged stints. It measures in length, in wingspan and in body mass. It can be distinguished from the western sandpiper and the semipalmated sandpiper in all plumages by its combination of a fine bill tip, unwebbed toes, and longer primary projection. The breeding adult has an unstreaked orange breast, bordered with dark markings below, and a white V on its back. In winter plumage identifi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fisherman Bay, South Australia
Fisherman Bay is a coastal locality in South Australia, situated at the northern end of the Yorke Peninsula in the District Council of Barunga West. It has been owned by the Fisherman Bay Management Company since 1 March 1974 when the top 10 bidding residents formed the association. History Fisherman Bay consists of two unconnected areas on either side of the inlet to Fisherman Bay itself: a small residential area on the peninsula at the southern end, around the Fisherman Bay South Shack Site, immediately north of Port Broughton, and a larger, mostly uninhabited area to the north of the inlet. The village contains approximately 400 dwellings, with a shop and petrol station and community hall. The northern portion mostly consists of a large area known as "Salt Swamp", but also includes the Fisherman Bay North Shack Site across the inlet, and further to the north, the historic former RAAF Gunnery Range on Old Pirie Road, which is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Little Pied Cormorant
The little pied cormorant, little shag or kawaupaka (''Microcarbo melanoleucos'') is a common Australasian waterbird, found around the coasts, islands, estuaries, and inland waters of Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, Brunei, Timor Leste, and Indonesia, and around the islands of the south-western Pacific and the subantarctic. It is a small short-billed cormorant usually black above and white below with a yellow bill and small crest, although a mostly black white-throated form predominates in New Zealand. Three subspecies are recognised. Until recently most authorities referred to this species as ''Phalacrocorax melanoleucos''. Taxonomy The species is known as the little pied cormorant in Australia, and as the little shag or by the Māori name of kawaupaka in New Zealand. The term white-throated shag is also reserved for the melanistic form there. The little pied cormorant was originally described by French naturalist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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