| On safari-- wildlife and nature photos |
 Sacred kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus | Aussie birds 3 |  Australian kestrel Falco cenchroides |
The Wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax) is Australia's largest bird of prey. A noted carrion-eater, it's often seen in the vicinity of road-kill, as was this pair, photographed by Yvonne. The young Wedgie on the right was at Cleland Wildlife Park in the Adelaide Hills
A few more of Australia's many raptors...Peregrine falcon chicks (Falco peregrinus) on their parents' nesting ledge at Saunders Gorge in the Adelaide Hills. I photographed the Black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris) as it was being harassed by other birds at Barwon Heads in Victoria. Yvonne's spectacular photo of this kite can be seen on the Victoria page. We saw the Nankeen or Australian kestrels (Falco cenchroides) catching small prey in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges and in the outback mallee country. Other birds of prey photographed near Adelaide are the Black kite (Milvus migrans), the Brown falcon (Falco berigora) and the Whistling kite (Haliastur sphenurus)
Geoff Gates spotted the Australian hobby (Falco longipennis) enjoying a meal on his TV antennae at his suburban home in Melbourne. The Pacific baza (Aviceda subcristata) was at Warrawong sanctuary in the Adelaide Hills
Australia's biggest kingfisher is the Laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae). Its slightly smaller relative, the Blue-winged kookaburra (Dacelo leachii), was photographed at the Adelaide Zoo, while the small Sacred kingfisher at the top of the page was photographed at Cleland Wildlife Park. The Azure kingfisher (Alcedo azurea) was seen on a bank of the River Murray. Photos of both of these kingfishers in the wild can be seen on the River Murray page. Another tiny hunter of the bush is the Rainbow bee-eater (Merops ornatus), seen at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria
Often mistaken for owls, but related to nightjars, tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) are noted for their ability to remain motionless for long periods, taking on the appearance of a dead branch. At left, the mature bird in image #1 is doing just that; the juvenile, perhaps not experienced in the art of camouflage, is staring wide-eyed at the photographer. Later, I found the whole family on the same branch (at Wittunga Botanic Garden in Adelaide's southern hills) and all three seemed to be doing well at imitating each other! At right are two more tawny frogmouths in a private garden in the same area. To see a young tawny frogmouth in close-up, go to People and wildlife
More Australian birds: Honeyeaters & others Waterbirds
or go straight to Kangaroo Island, the Adelaide Hills, the River Murray, the Outback, Victoria or Papua New Guinea
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