DUSKY WOODSWALLOW

Photographed in Warrumbungle National Park, Coonabarabran, November 2014. A less than clear shot.

317            DUSKY WOODSWALLOW             Artamus cyanopterus

Australia         (275)

Also known as Skimmer, Summer-bird and Woodmartin. 17-18 cm. Range sw WA across to border, all Tasmania and Victoria, bottom third of SA, all NSW except nw corner, se tw-thirds of Queensland from Cooktown down. Found in open forest/woodland, timbered paddocks, coastal/sub-inland scrub, golf-courses and orchards.

Photographed at Warrumbungles, December 2014

TURQUOISE PARROT

Photographed in Warrumbungle National Park, Coonabarabran, November 2014. The only shot I could get of this elusive parrot. 

316         TURQUOISE PARROT              Neophema pilchella

Australia         (274)

19-21 cm. Range e. half of NSW and up just past Brisbane, just into the border of Victoria. Found in open grassy woodlands, with dead trees and near water and forested hills, coastal heaths, pastures with exotic grasses, roadside weeds and orchards.

Photographed at Warrumbungles, December 2014

WHITE-WINGED TRILLER

Photographed in Warrumbungle National Park, Coonabarabran, November 2014

 315          WHITE-WINGED TRILLER                Lalage tricolor

Australia       (273)    

Range all over mainland Australia, and in n. and e. Tasmania. Found in open forests/woodlands/scrub, watercourses. 16-18.5 cm.

SCARLET ROBIN

314             SCARLET ROBIN              Petroica multicolor

Australia            272

12-14 cm. Found in forest foothills, woodlands, watercourses, and during autumn and winter more open habitats, red river gum woodlands, golf courses, parks and gardens. Range sw WA, Tasmania, se from Chinchilla down and around to Adelaide/Eyre Peninsular.

Subspecies leggi, photographed on Bruny Island, Tasmania February 2017

GREY WAGTAIL

Photographed in Wales, January 2014.

313          GREY WAGTAIL         Motacilla cinerea

Britain          (12)    

Range Europe and Asia, migrating to tropical regions in Asia and Africa. Found on open marshy ground or meadows.

COMMON RAVEN

Photographed in Wales, January, 2014

312              COMMON RAVEN           Corvus corax

Britain                (11)

Also known as Northern Raven. Found across the Northern Hemisphere, most widespread of corvids (crows). 56-78, wingspan 100-150 cm, 1.2 kgs. Co-exist with humans and in some areas regarded as pests. Intelligent. Thrives in a wide range of habitat.

HOODED CROW

311            HOODED CROW           Corvus cornix

Europe          (2)

Also known as Hoodiecrow, or locally as Danish Crow, Scotch Crow, and Corbie or Grey Crow in Ireland. It is found across Northern, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, as well as parts of the Middle East. 48-52 cm, wingspan 98 cm, weight averages 510 grams. It is an omnivore; will open mollusc and crabs by dropping them; will also hide food to eat later.

WESTERN JACKDAW

310            WESTERN JACKDAW              Corvus monedula

Britain      (10)

Also known as European Jackdaw, Eurasian Jackdaw and as simply Jackdaw. Ranges across Europe, western Asia and North Africa, mostly resident though northern and eastern population do migrate in the winter. 34-39 cm. Lives in small groups with a complex social structure. Found in farmlands, open woodlands, coastal cliffs and urban environments.

GREAT TIT

309            GREAT TIT        Parus major

Britain         (9)

Widespread and common in Europe, Middle East, Central and Northern Asia and parts of North Africa with woods. 12.5-14 cm. Very vocal and has up to 40 calls. Found in open deciduous woodlands, mixed forests, dense forests. Does not migrate except extreme winters. Monogamous, establishes a territory which it keeps. Lays 12 eggs in a batch, usually raises two broods a season.

CANADA GOOSE

Photographed in York, England

308            CANADA GOOSE             Branta canadensis

Britain          (8)

Native to Arctic and temperate regions of North America, it sometimes migrates to northern Europe and has been introduced to Britain and New Zealand. Has adapted well to human altered areas and so established itself in rural and urban areas, sometimes considered a pest. Most hunted bird in North America. 75-110 cm, wingspan 127-185 cm.

COMMON WOOD PIGEON

Photographed in York, England

307               COMMON WOOD PIGEON               Columba palumbus

Britain            (7)

In southern England commonly known as Culver. From the dove and pigeon family, Columbidae. Ranges across Europe and western Asia. 38-44.5 cm, 300-615 g. In flocks when not breeding season. Seen as an agricultural pest it is shot in many European countries.

EURASIAN MAGPIE

Photographed in Denmark

306                  EURASIAN MAGPIE                 Pica pica

Europe         (1)

Also known as European or Common Magpie. Range throughout Europe, much of Asia and northern-western Africa. Member of the crow family and believed to be one of the most intelligent birds. Found in suburban areas but prefers country and avoids humans. 20-30 cm. A number of sub-species.

Photographed in Denmark

Photographed in England

Photographed in England

BLACK HONEYEATER

Black Honeyeater juvenile.

305            BLACK HONEYEATER           Certhionyx niger

Australia        (271)

10-12 cm. Found in blossoming eremophiles, desert bloodwoods, regrowth with dead, fire blackened branches. Range arid inland mainland, w. to Broome/Geraldton (WA), nomadic.

RED-CAPPED PLOVER

Photographed on Comerong Island, NSW southern coast.

304         RED-CAPPED PLOVER               Charadrius ruficapillus

Australia          (270)

Also known as Red-capped Dotterel, Sandlark or Sandpiper. 14-16 cm. Range all over Australia and Tasmania. Found on broad sandy and shelly beaches, margins of saline wetlands and lakes, salt marshes, tidal mudflats and sandblast, adjacent dunes and shallow freshwater wetlands.

WHITE-BACKED VULTURE

Photographed at the 'Vulture Restaurant' at Mkhuze Game Reserve.

303        WHITE-BACKED VULTURE             Gyps africanus

South Africa             (26)

90-100 cm, wingspan 2.1-2.3 m; 4.6-6.6 kg. The most common vulture in savannah. Found in savannahs, open woodland, nesting and roosting on trees. Range all over northern part of southern Africa. 

Photographed at iMfolozi

FORK-TAILED DRONGO

302             FORK-TAILED DRONGO            Dicrurus adsimilis

South Africa             (25)

23-26 cm, 38-55 g. Range across top half of southern Africa, and along southern and eastern coast. Found in woodland, savannahs and plantations. Usually found singly or in pairs but many will be attracted to a fire. It also harasses other birds, and sometimes mammals to steal their food, mimicking alarm calls to make them drop it.

VILLAGE WEAVER

301          VILLAGE WEAVER           Ploceus cucllatus

South Africa         (24)

16 cm, 30-46 gm. Range along eastern side of southern Africa. Found in savanna, fields and gardens, often in large flocks, breeds in large, multiple-male colonies in reeds or tall trees. Builds large, coarsely woven nest with short entrance tube. Polygymous.

CAPE WEAVER

Photographed in Zululand, South Africa.

300          CAPE WEAVER        Ploceus capensis

South Africa         (23)

17 cm, 28-54 g. Found in grasslands, scrub and gardens. Breeds in colonies in reeds or tall trees. Ranges across southern tip of Africa.