Tag Archives: Australia

Galah

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Galah

Don’t be a galah!

  • Galahs are a common bird in almost all of Australia, and are a type of parrot, specifically a cockatoo.
  • Galahs have a pink and pale pink head, a pink chest and pale grey wings and back, while males have brown irises and females often having pink or red ones.
  • ‘Galahs’ are also known as ‘rose-breasted cockatoos’, ‘galah cockatoos’, ‘rosies, ‘roseate cockatoos’  ‘Willock cockatoos’ and ‘pink and greys’.
  • The scientific name for a galah is Eolophus roseicapilla and some indigenous Australians call galahs ‘gilaa’, which is where the term ‘galah’ comes from.
  • Galahs grow to approximately 35 centimetres (14 inches) in length and up to 350 grams (12 ounces) in weight.

Galah, Female, Male, Eating, Two, Red eye, Ten Random Facts, Bird, Australia

  • Galahs typically lay 2 to 5 eggs in their nest, a hollow in a tree, and when chicks hatch, they leave the nest after approximately 49 days.
  • The term ‘galah’ is Australian slang for ‘a fool’.
  • Galahs like eating vegetation, and small seeds of plants, as well as nuts and berries and they like to grind or chew objects to keep their beak sharp.
  • Galah’s can often be seen in large flocks of 500 – 1000 birds, although they only have one mating partner for life.
  • Galahs generally make small chitting or loud screeching noises, and can also impersonate other sounds or voices.
Bibliography:
Galah, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galah>
Galah, n.d, Birds in Backyard, <http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Eolophus-roseicapillus>

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Saltwater Crocodile

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Saltwater Crocodile

It is Saltie the Saltwater Crocodile!

  • Saltwater crocodiles are the world’s largest reptiles, growing an average of 3 to 5 meters (10 to 17 feet) in length, depending on the gender, and can grow up to 7 meters (23 feet) long.
  • ‘Saltwater crocodiles’ are also known as ‘salties’, ‘estuarine’ and ‘Indo-Pacific crocodiles’, and their scientific name is crocodylus porosus.
  • Saltwater crocodiles generally weigh between 400 to 1000 kilograms (880 to 2200 pounds) but they can be as heavy as 2000 kilograms (4400 pounds).
  • Saltwater crocodiles are typically found in mangrove swamps, deltas, lagoons, rivers, and estuaries, and can also be found swimming in the ocean, which they sometimes use to travel long distances during different seasons.
  • Saltwater crocodiles are native to South-east Asia, including India, and Australia.

Saltwater, Croc, Saltie, Two Third Body, Swamp, Sun Basking, Yellow Water Billabong, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia, Jason Edwards

 

Saltwater Crocodile
Image courtesy of National Geographic
  • Saltwater crocodiles have vibration-sensing teeth, and their diet generally consists of fish, sharks, reptiles, birds, crustaceans and mammals although they cannot swallow their prey underwater.
  • A saltwater crocodile’s bite is the strongest of all non-extinct animals, as its teeth are designed to hold its prey and prevent it from escaping.
  • Saltwater crocodiles are the most dangerous crocodile, although attacks are not frequent, however there are usually a couple of human fatalities each year.
  • Saltwater crocodiles can lay up to 60 eggs at a time and baby salties are pale yellow in colour with black patterns, while the adults are generally murky green or greenish-black in colour with a pale yellow underbelly.
  • In 1971, 95% of the original Australian saltwater crocodile population had been hunted, commonly for its skin, however the species is now protected in Australia, and the population has recovered.
Bibliography:
Saltwater Crocodile, 2012, Northern Territory Tourism Central, <http://www.nttc.com.au/saltwater-crocodile>
Saltwater Crocodile, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_crocodile>

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Pacific Black Duck

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Pacific Black Duck

Have you seen a pacific black duck’s speculum?

  • Pacific black ducks are dabbling ducks, which are ducks that generally feed on the surface of the water, and poke their head into the water for food, while the back half of the duck remains out of the water.
  • Pacific black ducks are native to most of Australasia and the Pacific islands and parts of Southeast Asia.
  • ‘Pacific black ducks’ are also known as ‘grey ducks’, ‘black ducks’, ‘brown ducks’, ‘wild ducks’, ‘blackies’, ‘Australian wild ducks’ and ‘Parera’, a New Zealand Maori term.
  • Pacific black ducks live in or near ponds, wetlands, lakes or marshes and nest in woven grass, leaves and other foliage, laying 7-13 white eggs.
  • Pacific black ducks are typically dark brown in colour, with a paler head and neck, with distinctive stripes on their face.

Pacific black ducks, Brown, lake, swimming, group, adult, water, lake, Ten Random Facts

  • Pacific black ducks are generally between 50 to 60 centimetres (1.6 to 2 feet) in length, with males generally larger than females.
  • The scientific name of pacific black ducks is Anas superciliosa and they are from the family Anatidae, which is the family of ducks, swans and geese.
  • Pacific black ducks are similar to their introduced cousins, mallards, that the ducks can and do breed with.
  • Pacific black ducks are covered with waterproof oil that the ducks produce, and have a magnificent green speculum (patch on their feathers), which is best seen when the ducks are in flight.
  • Pacific black ducks feed on seeds of aquatic vegetation, shrimps, yabbies, crustaceans and insects, and they will sometimes forage for food on the ground.
Bibliography:
Davis D, Pacific Black Duck, 2013, Wires Northern Rivers, <http://www.wiresnr.org/pacificblackduck.html>
Pacific Black Duck, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Black_Duck>

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Rakali

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Rakali

Rakali, the swimming rat.

  • Rakali are also known as ‘water rats’, or ‘Australian water rat’ and are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea.
  • Rakali are amphibious rats that have webbed back feet, waterproof fur, a flat head and a long and thick, white tipped rudder like tail.
  • The scientific name of rakali is ‘Hydromys chrysogaster’ and they are one of the largest rodents native to Australia.
  • Rakali live in fresh or salt water environments, and burrow and dig along riverbanks, lakes, and estuaries.
  • The diet of a rakali includes water insects, mussels, fish, crustaceans, frogs, birds and their eggs.

 

 

Rakali, Water, Float, Sim, Water Rat, Igneous, Australia, Ten Random Facts

Image courtesy of Val Laird

 

  • Rakali have bodies that grow to 23 to 37 cm (9 to 15 inches) in length, and have a total length of approximately 60 cm (23 inches), including the tail, and are grey, black or brown in colour, with an orange, cream, white or golden belly.
  • The original name of ‘rakali’ was ‘water rat’ until an agreement occurred to change the name to the Australian indigenous name for the rat, ‘rakali’.
  • Rakali are most commonly seen and observed a little before sunset and look like otters when swimming in the water.
  • The typical litter of rakali is three to four babies, with up to five litters in a year.
  • Rakali are preyed on by large fish, birds, cats and foxes.
Bibliography: Rakali, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakali>
The Rakali – Australian Water Rat (Hydromys Chrysogaster), 2011, Bayside City Council, < http://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/walksandtrails_environmenttrail_rakali.htm>

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Common Grass Yellow Butterfly

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Common Grass Yellow Butterfly

Flutter around, dance around.

  • Common Grass Yellow butterflies are commonly know as ‘Common Grass Yellows’ and are also known as ‘Large Grass Yellows’ or ‘Grass Yellows’.
  • Common Grass Yellow butterflies are small to medium butterflies that are found in Africa, Asia, South Pacific islands and Australia.
  • Common Grass Yellow butterflies are from the family ‘Pieridae’, a family that has mainly white, yellow and orange butterflies, sometimes with black spots.
  • Common Grass Yellow butterflies are bright lemon yellow in colour, and have black markings at the tips and borders of the butterfly’s wings and a narrow black band on the hind wing, and the underside of the wings are paler yellow with brown speckles.
  • Common Grass Yellow butterflies lay tiny white eggs that hatch, and become green caterpillars that grow to 24 – 30 mm (0.95 – 1.2 inches) in length, and then become smooth green pupae.

common Grass Yellow Butterfly, sitting, Closed wings, flower, plant, australia, beautiful, cool, amazing, Ten Random Facts

  • The scientific name of the Common Grass Yellow butterfly is ‘Eurema hecabe’, and they have a wingspan of 35 to 45 mm (1.4 to 1.8 inches).
  • Common Grass Yellow butterflies like to fly quickly, close to the ground, are found in open grassy or bushy terrain, hence their name.
  • Common Grass Yellow butterfly larvae feed on a variety of plants, depending on the region, although they often include plants from Euphorbiaceae, the family of spurges, and Fabaceae, the family of legumes, peas and beans.
  • Common Grass Yellow butterflies have different colouration in their wings depending on the season, known as ‘seasonal polyphenism’, resulting in generally darker wing colours in summer.
  • Common Grass Yellow male butterflies are often seen in large groups, and the females usually fly about by themselves to find nectar from a wide variety of plants.
Bibliography:
Eurema Hecabe, 2012, James Cook University, <http://www-public.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/insects/JCUDEV_005698>
Eurema Hecabe, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurema_hecabe>
Eurema Hecabe Conterbernalis, 2013, Butterfly Circle Checklist, <http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist%20V2/CI/index.php/start-page/startpage/showbutterfly/25>

Ghost shrimps

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Ghost shrimps

Dig, dig, dig. Dig, dig, dig…

  • Ghost shrimps are also called marine yabbies, pink nippers, burrowing shrimps, ghost nippers, nippers, yabbies and Australian ghost shrimps.
  • Ghost shrimps are often used as bait for fishing and are collected by using yabby pumps.
  • The ghost shrimp’s scientific name is Trypaea australiensis, and is also known as Callianassa australiensis, and they are from the family of crustaceans.
  • Ghost shrimps live in flat sandy or muddy areas which are covered by tidal salt waters.
  • Ghost shrimps eat very small organic matter and plankton.

 Ghost Shrimp, Marine yabby, slatwater, claw, big, sea, animal, creature, beach, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Ghost shrimps live approximately 60 cm (2 feet) below the surface and create tunnels underground which generally contain water.
  • Ghost shrimps grow up to 7.5cm (3 inches) long, and have soft, flexible bodies, that are almost transparent.
  • Ghost shrimps have a large claw that sometimes grows up to half the size of itself, and the male’s claw is often larger than the female’s.
  • One ghost shrimp may have multiple surface entrances to its main tunnel.
  • The Australian ghost shrimps are native to the eastern coast of Australia.
Bibliography:
Australian ghost shrimp (Callianassa australiensis), n.d, Marine Species Identification Portal, <http://species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=lobsters&menuentry=soorten&id=66&tab=beschrijving>
Cumming R, The Humble Saltwater Yabby, 2013, Dreamfish, <http://dreamfish.com.au/wordpress/how-to-articles/how-to-catch-nippers-saltwater-yabbies/>
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