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Strzelecki Desert Lakes Important Bird Area
The Strzelecki Desert Lakes Important Bird Area is an Important Bird Area (IBA) in the Australian state of South Australia which consists of a series of ephemeral waterbodies in the arid Strzelecki Desert in the state's Far North region. It is considered to be important for waterbirds when its constituent lakes hold water in the aftermath of floods. Description The Important Bird Area consists of a chain of lakes, of varying levels of salinity, on the lower Cooper and Strzelecki Creeks in north-eastern South Australia. The site is defined by the maximum extent of the Cooper Creek floodplain from Lakes Hope and Appadare to Lakes Killalpaninna, Kooperamanna and Killamperpunna, as well as Lakes Gregory, Blanche and Callabonna. Although the creek systems flood irregularly, water may persist in the lakes for several years. Criteria for nomination as an IBA The site has been identified by BirdLife International as an IBA because it has supported significant numbers of freckled ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hydroprogne Caspia
The Caspian tern (''Hydroprogne caspia'') is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no accepted subspecies. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''hudros'', "water", and Latin ''progne'', " swallow". The specific ''caspia'' is from Latin and, like the English name, refers to the Caspian Sea. Description It is the world's largest tern with a length of , a wingspan of and a weight of . Adult birds have black legs, and a long thick red-orange bill with a small black tip. They have a white head with a black cap and white neck, belly, and tail. The upper wings and back are pale grey; the underwings are pale with dark primary feathers. In-flight, the tail is less forked than other terns, and wingtips are black on the underside. In winter, the black cap is still present (unlike many other terns), but with some white streaking on the forehead. The call is a loud heron-like croak. Distrib ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pink-eared Duck
The pink-eared duck (''Malacorhynchus membranaceus'') is a species of duck found in Australia. It has a large spatulate bill like the Australasian shoveler, but is smaller at 38–40 cm length. Its brown back and crown, black and white barred sides and black eye patches on its otherwise white face make this bird unmistakable. Juveniles are slightly duller, but otherwise all plumages are similar. Its vernacular name refers to a pink spot in the corner formed by the black head pattern; it is only noticeable at close distance however, making the seldom-used Australian name of zebra duck more appropriate. Taxonomy and systematics The pink-eared duck was first described by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the binomial name ''Anas membranacea''. It is the only living member of the genus ''Malacorhynchus''; a closely related, but slightly larger extinct form from New Zealand was described as Scarlett's duck (''Malacorhynchus scarletti''). This peculiar duck may b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Government Of South Australia
The Government of South Australia, also referred to as the South Australian Government, SA Government or more formally, His Majesty’s Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of South Australia. It is modelled on the Westminster system of government, which is governed by an elected parliament. History Until 1857, the Province of South Australia was ruled by a Governor responsible to the British Crown. The Government of South Australia was formed in 1857, as prescribed in its Constitution created by the Constitution Act 1856 (an act of parliament of the then United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under Queen Victoria), which created South Australia as a self-governing colony rather than being a province governed from Britain. Since the federation of Australia in 1901, South Australia has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, which is a constitutional monarchy, and the Constitution of Australia regulates the state of South A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strzelecki Regional Reserve
Strzelecki Regional Reserve is a protected area located in the Australian state of South Australia in the gazetted localities of Lindon and Strzelecki Desert about north-east of Port Augusta. It includes the Strzelecki Desert and the dry Strzelecki Creek bed. The regional reserve can only accessed via the historic Strzelecki Track. It is partly located on land that was included on the List of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention under the name Coongie Lakes in 1987. The regional reserve is classified as an IUCN Category VI protected area. See also * Protected areas of South Australia * Regional reserves of South Australia * Regional Reserve (Australia) A Regional Reserve is a type of protected area used in the Australian states of South Australia and Tasmania that allows the use of natural resources in conjunction with the protected area’s conservation function. South Australia In South Aust ... * Strzelecki Desert Lakes Important Bi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cinnamon Quail-thrush
The cinnamon quail-thrush (''Cinclosoma cinnamomeum'') is cryptic arid-zone species that is endemic to Australia. This small to medium-sized species of bird is found in the arid and semi-arid regions of central Australia. Taxonomy This species is a member of the family Cinclosomatidae, which is a group of passerine bird's native to Australia and nearby areas. The quail-thrushes (''Cinclosoma''), which the cinnamon quail-thrush is a part of, belong to this family. Description Cinnamon quail-thrush have a body-length of 20 cm, and weigh up to 50 grams when fully grown. Male birds are characterised by a white eyebrow, black face and a broad white streak down the sides of a black throat. The upperparts of their body are plain cinnamon-rufous with buff-white patches on the upper breast and a broad black band below. The outer tail feathers are black with white tips. The female has similar features but duller with a buff-white throat and eyebrow. Their upper breast is grey and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chirruping Wedgebill
The chirruping wedgebill (''Psophodes cristatus'') is a medium-sized member of the genus ''Psophodes'', which consists or four to five songbirds endemic to Australia. Commonly found in low shrublands in south-eastern inland Australia, the species is distinguished by its distinctive, chirruping call. The chirruping wedgebill and chiming wedgebill (''Psophodes occidentalis'') were considered to be a single species until as late as 1973, when they were separated due to marked differences in their calls. Taxonomy John Gould originally described ''P. cristatus'' and ''P. occidentalis'' as one species (''Sphenostoma cristatum''), and this remained common practice until c. 1973. The separation of the species at that date was based mainly on differences in song and range. Description The chirruping wedgebill is a medium-sized bird, measuring approximately 18–21 cm and weighing 31-64 g. Its bill is dark and wedge-shaped when mature, and horn-coloured when immature. It possesse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Banded Whiteface
The banded whiteface (''Aphelocephala nigricincta'') is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is endemic to dryer regions of Australia. The ornithologist Alfred John North described the banded whiteface as ''Xerophila nigricincta'' in 1895, from specimens collected at Missionary Plains, Northern Territory. Harry Church Oberholser pointed out that this genus name was invalid as it had been given to a genus of mollusc, hence it gained its current name ''Aphelocephala nigricincta'' in 1899. Description The adult banded whiteface is around 10 cm (4 in) long. The upper parts of the body and head are greyish brown. The face has a white mask bordered by a darker band which runs vertically across the region of the eyes. The upper breast is pale blue-grey and the underparts white, separated by a prominent black band across the breast. There are red-brown patches on the flanks. The bill and legs are black and the eyes are white. The plumage of male and female are ali ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Honeyeater
The black honeyeater (''Sugomel nigrum'') is a species of bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. The black honeyeater exhibits sexual dimorphism, with the male being black and white while the female is a speckled grey-brown; immature birds look like the female. The species is endemic to Australia, and ranges widely across the arid areas of the continent, through open woodland and shrubland, particularly in areas where the emu bush and related species occur. A nectar feeder, the black honeyeater has a long curved bill to reach the base of tubular flowers such as those of the emu bush. It also takes insects in the air, and regularly eats ash left behind at campfires. Cup-shaped nests are built in the forks of small trees or shrubs. The male engages in a soaring song flight in the mating season, but contributes little to nest-building or incubating the clutch of two or three eggs. Both sexes feed and care for the young. While the population appears to be decreasing, the black ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eyrean Grasswren
The Eyrean grasswren (''Amytornis goyderi'') is a small grasswren from the Passerine family Maluridae. This is a cryptically plumaged and uncommon bird endemic to arid regions of Central Australia. The species was discovered by F.W. Andrews in 1874 around the Macumba River at Lake Eyre, and named after the South Australian Surveyor General George Woodroffe Goyder. Description At 14–16.5 cm in length, ''Amytornis goyderi'' is the smallest grasswren. It has a deep, finch-like bill. There are some minor differences between sexes, and between populations across the distribution. Adult male The head is reddish with bold white streaks, neck and upper body dull to bright rufous-brown, streaked with fine dark and white lines. The face is mainly white except for the rufous forehead, white lores and a thin partial white eye-ring beneath the eye; and sometimes a rufous fore- supercilium. Black and white ear coverts separate the dark head parts from the off-white chin and throa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caspian Tern
The Caspian tern (''Hydroprogne caspia'') is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no accepted subspecies. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''hudros'', "water", and Latin ''progne'', "swallow". The specific ''caspia'' is from Latin and, like the English name, refers to the Caspian Sea. Description It is the world's largest tern with a length of , a wingspan of and a weight of . Adult birds have black legs, and a long thick red-orange bill with a small black tip. They have a white head with a black cap and white neck, belly, and tail. The upper wings and back are pale grey; the underwings are pale with dark primary feathers. In-flight, the tail is less forked than other terns, and wingtips are black on the underside. In winter, the black cap is still present (unlike many other terns), but with some white streaking on the forehead. The call is a loud heron-like croak. Distribu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-necked Avocet
The red-necked avocet (''Recurvirostra novaehollandiae'') also known as the Australian avocet, cobbler, cobbler's awl, and painted lady, is a wader of the family Recurvirostridae that is endemic to Australia and is fairly common and widespread throughout, except for the north and north east coastal areas of the country. Closely related to the stilts, it shares their fragile slender elegance, however the deep red head and neck distinguish them. It appeared on a 13 cent postage stamp in 1966. Taxonomy The French naturalist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot described the red-necked avocet in 1816, and it still bears its original name. It is one of four species of avocet that make up the genus ''Recurvirostra''. A 2004 study combining genetics and morphology showed that it was the sister taxon to a lineage that gave rise to the Andean and American avocets. Description The distinguishing feature of the red-necked avocet, and all avocet species, is the distinctive upcurved bill that is used ... [...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] |
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