Strangler Fig

Strangler Fig, Ficus

Many species of tropical strangler vines are of the fig family and thus are referred to as strangler figs. The common names comes from the pattern of growth of these vines upon a host tree which eventually leads to the death of the tree. As strangler figs may live for hundreds of years, the host death is not always a result of the vine, but rather age of the host. By this time, the strangler has establish itself enough that it still flourishes and lives without its host. These strangler figs are commonly covered with other vines that may not be strangers, and is often a source of food and shelter for epiphytic plants, and animals including various birds, mammals, reptiles, and bats.

Australian Brush Turkey

Australian Brush-turkey, Alectura lathami

The Australian Brush Turkey can be spotted along the eastern and northeastern coast of Australia. This species has a large variety of habitats it can be found in from rainforests to drier scrubs, from mountains to lowland regions. The family Megapodiidae of which the brush turkey belongs are often referred to as mound builders. They passively incubate the eggs, burying them under mounds of decaying matter which the chicks must then dig out of. For the Australian Brush Turkey, the males maintain the mound which several females lay their eggs in. The bill of the bird is used to assess temperature. Matter is added or removed as needed, and holes are dug for ventilation when the necessity arises. Hatchlings are fully feathered once they emerge from the mound and are given no additional parental care. This species is often referred to as a nuisance as it commonly damages gardens while searching for food. Unlike it's cousin of the Galliformes order, the Wild Turkey, the Australian Brush Turkey is known for its bad taste and is therefore not hunted.

Scarlet Honeyeater

♂ Scarlet Honeyeater, Myzolema sanguinolenta

The Scarlet Honeyeater, or Blood bird, can be found all along the east coast of Australia, but is a summer migrant only south of Sydney. This species lives mainly in woodlands and open forest, especially near wetlands, but can also be found in rainforests and urban areas. The name honeyeater comes from its diet of nectar, fruit, and the occasional insect. Scarlet Honeyeaters exhibit distinct sexual dimorphism, similar to Painted Buntings, with vivid red and black males versus dull brown and white females. While both genders call, only the males have the distinct silvery tinkling song. As with other honeyeaters, the Scarlet Honeyeater plays an important role in pollination.

It has been awhile since I last wrote on Australia so this week I'll be focusing on three different bird species.

Fire and the Outback

Very recent burning in a volatile Eucalyptus Forest

Australia is no stranger of fires, from the western desert, to the tropics and bushland, to the savannas and eucalyptus forests. As with other environments, these fire adapt places rely on fire to promote a strong ecosystem from the ground to the surrounding life; however, Australia provides a unique insight not with just fire alone, but the relationship of the Aboriginal people with fire. For the Wik Monkan of Northern Queensland, burning off country was often started at the end of the wet season, ontjin, particularly during the start of the dry season, kaiyam, and sometime continued to the beginning of the wet season, turrpak. A great portion of the clan estates was burned each year. The burn pattern used for most areas is referred to as mosaic burning resulting from a combination of burning grass as it cures and the movement around the estates. Land management of Aboriginal country often was focused on resource management and social values, not necessarily for the promotion of biodiversity. One of the major reasons for the burning regimes was to aid in the hunt of anything from macropods to burrowed prey. The Martu Aboriginal of the Western Desert have used fire for the purposes of hunting to great effect.

Controlled burns by the university for human protection. 

As with most other ecosystems, there has been fire repression especially along populated areas, and land management under the guidance of the Aboriginal has been declining. As dry season starts, controlled burns are conducted near towns and around the perimeter of populated places such as universities as a precaution and for protection. With the continual concerns of global warming, recent research has looked at the relationship of wildfires to carbon output. There is strong support for the relationship between the net emissions and net sinks of areas with fire repression, and areas with annual burning.

Noisy Pitta

Noisy Pitta, Pitta versicolor

Found foraging for worms, berries, and snails among the leaf litter of tropical and subtropical rainforest, the Noisy Pitta has a classic rainforest call. The loud sound is one of the main sounds heard within the forests leading to the common name of noisy. These birds do not walk, but hop on the ground often accompanying the movement with a bob of the head or flick of the tail. Much like the North American Vireonidae family, these birds are much more often heard than seen.