Archives for January 2025

Every time I see a swift parrot I am filled with dread at the thought that it might be the last one I see in the wild. Numbers of swift parrots are in freefall and so when a flock turned up at Mount Nelson in the spring birders rushed to see them, as I did, fearing we might not get the chance again. Birds are too precious to lose and with one in six of Australian bird species threatened with extinction this fact is brought into sharp focus by a recently published book, … [Read more...] about Times change but enchantment remains

A forest raven I call Gloria, who visits my garden each day, was feeling the heat. Her beak open, she was panting under the scorching sun on one of the hottest days of summer. Birds do not have sweat glands, so the primary way of dissipating excessive heat is by panting, just like a dog. If you see a bird during the hottest part of the day, it will likely have its mouth open. It’s ridding heat from its body through the open bill. On hot days when birds are seen panting it … [Read more...] about Splash out on a birdbath to aid birds