Baby Bush Stone Curlew
I walked around the other side of the carpark this morning to get some fence free shots of the Bush Stone Curlews and their Chick.
The parents were none too pleased about my pressence, turning to face me and making a kind of low growl (as much as birds can growl).
I didn't stick around long, not wanting to distress the birds anymore than strictly necessary.
Common Names: Bush Stone Curlew, Southern Stone-curlew, Bush Curlew, Bush Thicknee, Willaroo, Weeloo
Scientific Name: Burhinus grallarius
Habitat & Range: Open forest, plains and paddocks throughout Australia.
View all photos taken: Monday, 6th November 2006, This photo: 7:49am
I guess it's a natural instinct of parents to protect their younglings.
I reckon you're right there Margot.
nicely backlit (if that's the correct use of the word)
I was afraid the back-lighting would cause colour fringing or worse make the birds too dark, but luckily it wasn't the case, and instead we get this nifty glow around the chick :)
How wonderful. I have never seen a baby bush stone curlew. They are as cute as their parents
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Seen in Australian Birds (?)
They are indeed Alexandra, and it would seem they only lay one egg, which would make sense, as I don't think they'd be able to sit on two. They make a little depression in the ground for the egg, then sit over it. I'm amazed the local cat population hasn't shown an interest - maybe they're scarier to cats than to us....
so cute, makes me wonder how those big legs all fit into an egg, must have their beak between their knees !
Good point! It wasn't a particularly large egg either. I only saw it once, a dull colour with grown speckles, but for some reason I didn't get a photo of it - might have been the day Lea had the camera for work...