c114.1s  Wildlife

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Cassowary Casuarius casuarius in rainforest, where the horny casque on its head aids running through dense vegetation. Cassowaries are the only birds in Australia considered dangerous to humans. C96.4s

Almost fully matured family of Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae, a large ratite (flighltless, strong legged bird), after a good winter season in semi-arid Nocoleche Nature Reserve, Australia, when young ones (browner heads) were raised. S11.1s

Sociable Hall's Babblers Pomatostomus halli cuddle up in dry Lancewood Acacia shirleyi woodland, far-west Qld, Australia. First described in 1964, it is the least known babbler. S113.1s

White-throated Nightjar Eurostopodus mysticalis chick lies in cryptic posture on the floor of a Lancewood Acacia shirleyi closed inland woodland (Goonderoo Bush Heritage reserve, Central Qld, Australia). Dependent on undisturbed forests and woodlands for nesting, nightjars are an example of wildlife which suffer from the extensive habitat loss occurring in inland Queensland. CQ24.18s

Young Australian (Nankeen) Kestrel Falco cenchroides on its clifftop vantage point, Mt. Felix, a precipitous Tertiary outcrop in the vast plains of the Mitchell Grass Downs, outback Qld., Australia. Though fledged, it prefers to watch and wait for its more able parents to bring it food as they ride the thermals of the plains and updrafts of the cliffs. S96.11s	Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus in tropical forest, North Queensland Australia. The brightly coloured parrots feed on nectar of blossoming trees, especially eucalypts, which are characteristic of Australian flora. Q4.10	Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae on a back yard rotary clothes hoist is a familiar urban wildlife sight in Australia. Kookaburras are giant kingfishers which pounce on large ground dwelling insects and reptiles, including snakes. CQ53.15s	Splendid (Black-backed) Fairy Wrens Malurus splendens melanotus mating in dry Gidgee Acacia cambagei woodland, SW Qld., Australia. Regarded by some as Australia's most brilliant bird. Adult pairs are able to rear successive broods because juveniles help feed the female & nestlings, and tend fledgelings - an adaptation to the semi-arid climate. S112.18s	Ecotourist inspects the nest of an Osprey pair Pandion haliaetus built on a sandbar overlooking hunting grounds at the mouth of Baffle Creek, Queensland, Australia, one of the few natural rivers in eastern Australia. Ospreys are found worldwide in undisturbed coastal habitats. CQ46.16s
White-throated Nightjar Eurostopodus mysticalis performs a decoy display near its egg on the floor of a Lancewood Acacia shirleyi closed inland woodland (Goonderoo Bush Heritage reserve, Central Qld, Australia). Dependent on undisturbed forests and woodlands for nesting, nightjars are an example of wildlife which suffer from the extensive habitat loss occurring inland. CQ34.5s	Major Mitchell (Pink) Cockatoos Cacatua leadbeateri, which largely replace the Sulphur-crested Cockat-oo in inland Australia, provided water and large hollow trees for nesting exist. A target species for bird-smugglers, who take young from hollows for illegal export. S97.11s	Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus in a tropical tree near a feeding station, Cairns, North Queensland Australia. The brightly coloured parrots feed on nectar of blossoming trees, especially eucalypts. Q30.20	Male Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii spreads its wings to cool off in the outback heat of dry Gidgee Acacia cambagei woodland, SW Qld., Australia. S109.22	Colourful facial plumage and skin of Spinifex Pigeon Petrophassa plumifera yet cryptic in its habitat eg. Mitchell Grass Astrebla sp. grasslands, Lochern N.P., outback Queensland, Australia. Distributed through arid stoney shrublands and grasslands wherever there is some surface water. S109.19
Male Splendid (Black-backed) Fairy Wren Malurus splendens melanotus in full breeding plumage, sings its territorial song in dry Gidgee Acacia cambagei woodland, SW Qld., Australia. Regarded by some as Australia's most brilliant bird. S109.24	Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides, a wide mouthed nightbird which is probably an aberrant nightjar, common in Australian forests and woodlands. Q31.7	Brush Turkey Alectura lathami, a megapode from dense Australian forests, roosts in trees and builds an earth and leaf litter incubation mound on the forest floor, which generates heat by decomposition to incubate eggs buried inside. Prominant neck wattle is most striking in breeding males. CQ37.20	Large collection of bleached snail shells and other white, green or metal objects around the bower of the male Great Bowerbird Chlamydera nuchalis, Australia, visual aids to mate attraction and breeding which are widely collected and carefully organised and tended by the male. N27.13s	Bar-shouldered Doves Geopelia humeralis in a forest clearing, Fraser Island, Australia. Typical ground-feeding dove with dull plumage cryptically patterned, it eats grass seeds. Colourful pigeons of rainforest canopies form a 2nd group of spp.F1.17s
Budgerigars Melopsittacus undulatus on the dry grasslands of the Mitchell Grass Downs Biogeographic Region, dominated by Mitchell Grass Astrebla sp., which cover fertile plains in outback Qld & N.T., supporting a rich fauna & pastoral industry.CQ55.8s	Northern Rosella Platycercus venustus, feeding on the ground on grass seeds in open forest, Gurig National Park, Arnhem Land, Australia. Less common relative to Eastern, Pale-headed and other more familiar rosellas. N42.8s	Spiney-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthogenys rufogularis is an Australian honeyeater related to the wattlebirds. It frequents dryer inland forest, woodland and shrubland and is commonly seen in outback Australia.S33.24s	Yellow gape of otherwise well camouflaged downy nestling White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus, used to trigger feeding response in the parents, in its nest in a weathered stump in semi-desert woodland, Nocoleche Nature Reserve, outback Australia.S33.19s	Fledgeling Brown-backed Honeyeaters Ramsayornis modestus roost at night on the tip of a supple rainforest vine to avoid predation by snakes, which would be unable to slither out along the thin stem to birds. (Edmund Kennedy National Park, Australia). Q31.2
Huddling behaviour by roosting Crested Pigeons Ocyphaps lophotes at night, a behavioural adaptation increasing security from predators and conserving body temperature in small warm-blooded animals through the cool night hours.S33.22s

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