Download IDentIfIcAtIon GuIDe

Darwin
International Airport
Bird
Identification
Guide
About this guide
The Darwin International Airport (DIA)
Bird Identification Guide has been produced for
quick reference material to assist Operations
Safety Officers with on-ground identification of
the birds and flying foxes that are at risk of
colliding with aircraft.
Only the high, moderate and potential risk species
to aircraft operations at Darwin International
Airport have been included in this guide to improve
the identification of the species, with a particular
focus on difficult to identify species. Airport
Operations continue to use other reference material
and maintain observations on all bird, bat and
flying fox species on the airfield.
The risk levels determined in this guide are based
on a Risk Assessment conducted by Avisure
in 2011 however Darwin International Airport
continually assess the risk of all species to aircraft
operations at DIA.
Disclaimer:
This information provided in this Guide is of a general nature and
for use at Darwin International Airport. It may or may not apply or
be appropriate to your particular circumstances. It is not legal advice
nor is it a substitute for obtaining legal or other professional advice
from a qualified person. To understand your obligations to relevant
wildlife management laws you should make your own enquiries
and consult a professional or other qualified advisor regarding your
particular circumstance and situation. Darwin International Airport
endeavours to ensure this Guide is complete and accurate however
accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions of the information.
Creative Commons
This document titled Bird Identification Guide,
by Darwin International Airport is licenced under a
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en).
This publication should be attributed as:
Darwin International Airport, Bird Identification Guide (2013).
Enquiries regarding the licence and any use of this
Guide are welcome.
Darwin International Airport
Airport Management Centre
T: +61 8 8920 1811
F: +61 8 8920 1800
E: [email protected]
PO Box 40996 Casuarina NT 0811
1 Fenton Court Eaton NT 0820
www.darwinairport.com.au
1
2
Juvenile
3
HIGH
Black KITE
RISK
SPECIES
QUICK FACTS
•Medium-sized bird
of prey.
•Only bird of prey with
forked tail (but can
also appear square or
twisted).
•Adult is various
shades of brown –
not black.
TYPICAL BEHAVIOUR
»»Active during the day, roosts in
trees at night.
»»Tail often twisting from side to
side when in flight.
»»Can occur at high altitudes
when using thermals.
»»Sunbathe on aprons/runways.
»»Gregarious species.
DIET
Scavenger for insects (especially
grasshoppers & caterpillars),
lizards, small mammals &
carrion.
•No pale patches
on wing undersides
(compared with
Whistling Kites).
SIMILAR SPECIES
Whistling Kite.
ATTRACTANTS AT DIA
»»Bush fires (feed on fleeing
insects etc.).
»»Food waste and carrion.
»»Thermals (up-currents).
»»Grass cutting (stirs insects).
»»Shoal Bay Tip
(1000+ at Peak).
Special features
Forked tail.
WHEN PRESENT AT Darwin International Airport:
•Most strikes occur at the end of the Dry.
•May be present in the Wet if monsoon is late.
Jan
Present
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Dec
4
5
Juvenile (spotted wings)
6
Distinctive underwing pattern
HIGH
WHISTLING KITE
QUICK FACTS
RISK
SPECIES
TYPICAL BEHAVIOUR
»»Active during the day, roosts
in trees at night.
»»Distinct very loud
whistling call.
»»Often glides low over treetops.
»»Can occur at high altitudes
when using thermals.
•Medium-sized bird
of prey.
•Frequently gliding
or soaring with
wings flat.
•“Fingered” wing tips.
DIET
Scavenger for insects, lizards,
small mammals & carrion.
•Rounded tail.
•White patches on
under side of wings.
ATTRACTANTS AT DIA
»»Bush fires (feeds on fleeing
insects etc.).
»»Food waste and carrion.
»»Thermals (up-currents).
»»Grass cutting (stirs insects).
Special features
SIMILAR SPECIES
Black Kite.
•Loud penetrating
whistle call.
Distinctive underwing pattern &
rounded tail.
WHEN PRESENT AT Darwin International Airport:
Jan
Present
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
7
8
9
Chick
HIGH
bush stone-curlew
QUICK FACTS
•Large ground-dwelling
bird.
•Very distinctive ‘eerie’
wailing call.
•Adult grey to rufous
with black streaks &
blotches.
•White wing patches
are luminous in
headlights.
RISK
SPECIES
TYPICAL BEHAVIOUR
»»Active at night.
»»Pairs, groups & loose flocks.
»»Moves stealthily in a crouched
position, but will fly if pressed.
»»Runs along the ground, often
with head lowered.
»»Can “freeze” when
approached, or lie flat on
ground.
»»Relatively tame in suburbs.
ATTRACTANTS AT DIA
»»Common bird in Darwin
residential area.
»»High insect numbers
associated with cleared areas.
»»Adjacent woodlands for
day roosts.
Special features
DIET
Ground-dwelling insects.
•Well camouflaged in
preferred habitats.
SIMILAR SPECIES
None.
White wing patches are luminous
in headlights.
WHEN PRESENT AT Darwin International Airport:
Jan
Present
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
10
11
Chick
12
HIGH
Masked Lapwing
QUICK FACTS
RISK
SPECIES
TYPICAL BEHAVIOUR
»»Occurs in pairs to large flocks.
»»Aggressive when nesting – will
swoop intruders.
»»Builds small nests in grass in
Wet season.
»»Distinctive cry – a metallic,
grating ‘kekekekekek’.
•Moderate size – bit
smaller than a gull.
•Yellow facial mask
(called a ‘wattle’).
•Black crown, grey
upperparts.
Special features
DIET
Ground-dwelling insects.
•Neck & underparts
are white.
ATTRACTANTS AT DIA
»»Short open grasslands provide
feeding and nesting habitat.
•Noisy & aggressive to
humans & vehicles.
Yellow facial mask.
WHEN PRESENT AT Darwin International Airport:
The Masked Lapwing is the second most frequently recorded bird at DIA & the second most frequent
species to be involved in bird strike incidents.
Jan
Present
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
13
14
Similar species:
Oriental Pratincole
15
AUSTRALIAN PRATINCOLE
QUICK FACTS
•Small – similar size to
a blackbird.
•Sandy orange-brown.
•Slender with relatively
long legs.
•Pointed, narrow
black wings.
TYPICAL BEHAVIOUR
»»Runs along the ground (long
legs are obvious).
»»Graceful in flight.
»»Bobs head up and down.
»»Darts to catch insects.
»»Not normally in flocks.
DIET
Insects.
ATTRACTANTS AT DIA
»»A common visitor of airfields.
»»High insect numbers
associated with cleared areas.
»»Likes stony ground
(i.e. gravelly patches) and
open grasslands.
Special features
SIMILAR SPECIES
Oriental Pratincole – far less
common (see picture). Is
present only from October to
December, and in large flocks.
•Red on bill indicates
breeding.
•Good runner.
•Most commonly
struck species.
Pointed, narrow black wings.
WHEN PRESENT AT Darwin International Airport:
The most frequently recorded species on DIA & the most commonly struck species (due to large
airside presence & tendency to occur in critical movement areas).
Jan
Present
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Dec
16
17
18
Oriental plover
QUICK FACTS
•Small size – similar to
a blackbird.
•Long legged – stands
quite upright.
•Usually in nonbreeding plumage in
Australia.
•Powerful erratic flight
when disturbed.
TYPICAL BEHAVIOUR
»»Flocks, often in large numbers.
»»Wary when approached.
»»Forage at night and roost
(standing) at day.
»»Stop-start foraging behaviour &
regular head bobbing.
»»Stand on rocks, stumps or
similar perches.
ATTRACTANTS AT DIA
»»Found in grasslands typical of
DIA airside area.
»»Feeds on insects agitated by
ploughed & mown land.
DIET
Ground-dwelling insects.
SIMILAR SPECIES
Pratincoles.
WHEN PRESENT AT Darwin International Airport:
Jan
Present
Feb
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Dec
19
20
21
little curlew
QUICK FACTS
•Medium size – similar
to a pigeon.
•Stand erect.
•Largely dark brown &
buff mottled colour.
•Thin downwardcurving bill.
TYPICAL BEHAVIOUR
»»Small to huge ‘tight’ flocks.
»»Walks at steady pace, actively
probing soil for insects.
DIET
Little known but has been
observed eating wild rice &
caterpillars.
SIMILAR SPECIES
Whimbrel & Eastern Curlew
(both have much longer bills).
•White stripe in the
middle of chestnut
head cap.
Special features
ATTRACTANTS AT DIA
»»Extensive grasslands.
Thin downward-curving bill &
white stripe in the middle of
chestnut head cap.
WHEN PRESENT AT Darwin International Airport:
Jan
Present
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
22
23
nankeen kestrel
QUICK FACTS
TYPICAL BEHAVIOUR
»»Likes to rest on a low perch
(e.g. a fence post).
»»Hovers on the spot above open
country before swooping on
ground prey.
•Small bird of prey –
about half the size of
kites.
•Rufous upper-parts
(‘nankeen’ means
rufous).
DIET
Small mammals, birds &
insects.
•Pale under-parts.
•Pointed wing tips and
black band on tail.
Special features
ATTRACTANTS AT DIA
»»Frequently perches on
furnishings at DIA.
»»Hovers over grasslands
watching for prey.
Pointed wing tips & black band
on tail.
WHEN PRESENT AT Darwin International Airport:
Jan
Present
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
24
25
Little Corella
Magpie-Lark
QUICK FACTS
QUICK FACTS
•Medium white parrot with blue eye
patch & slight rose tinge around bill.
•Small ‘magpie’ (but actually not
related).
•Has a white crest that can be raised
and lowered.
•About two-thirds the size of Magpie
and is white underneath.
•Noisy flocking bird.
•Feed on the ground.
•Feed on grass seed on the ground.
•Walk with a back-forward head
movement.
•Resident flock in Darwin frequenting
DIA mid to late Wet. At that time
numerous small flocks fly over the
airport at sunrise and sunset.
•Territorial throughout the year.
•Resident at DIA but more common
in Dry season.
26
27
red-tailed
black-cockatoo
white-bellied
sea-eagle
QUICK FACTS
QUICK FACTS
•Large black parrot with red panels
in tail (not always obvious).
•Very large raptor – 1½ as big
as kites.
•Direct flier with slow wing beats.
•Wedged tail.
•Feed in treetops and on the ground.
•Adult black and white, juvenile
similar to Whistling Kite (but larger
and with wedged tail).
•Seen around vicinity of DIA, and
flying over.
•Present all year around.
•Associated with rivers and the sea,
but flies over DIA in transit.
•Present all year round.
28
29
flying-foxes
QUICK FACTS
magpie goose
POTENTIAL
QUICK FACTS
Black
flying-fox
little red
flying-fox
•Large black & white goose with red
bill & orange legs.
•Black.
•Half the weight
& size of Black.
•Prefer wetlands, but in late Dry visit
urban areas to feed on irrigated
lawns, golf courses etc.
•Huge flocks at
dusk & dawn.
•Reddish-brown.
•Eat fruit &
nectar.
•Translucent
wings in flight.
•Common in
Darwin year
round.
•Less often in
flocks.
•More active on
bright nights.
•Possibly more
common in Dry.
•Usually in large flocks.
•Slow flight.
•Seen around vicinity of DIA.
30
31
AUSTRALIAN
WHITE IBIS
POTENTIAL
STRAW-NECKED
IBIS
POTENTIAL
QUICK FACTS
QUICK FACTS
•Slightly larger ibis – black head, legs
& rump.
•Iridescent upper-parts, red legs
(immature legs are black).
•Red line on white under-wing.
•Mostly black under-wing.
•Often ‘dirty’.
•‘Straw’ feathers on neck (not always
obvious).
•Can be in large flocks.
•Feeds in wet grassy areas.
•Seen around vicinity of DIA.
•Can be in large flocks.
•Feeds in drier grassy areas.
•At DIA late Dry to early Wet.
•Attracted to mowing activity.
Acknowledgements
Content prepared by EcOz
Environmental Services.
Photos courtesy of:
Photographer
Adrian Boyle
Colin Haddon
Dave Pinson
Greg Thomas
Michael Dahlem
Mark David
Peter Hammond
Pete Morris
Rohan Clarke
Tom Reilly
Wikimedia Commons
Prankphonecall
Image numbers
# 4, 6, 13, 16, 30
#2
# 28
#7
#5
# 11
# 22
# 14
# 1, 3, 10, 15, 17, 19, 20, 23,
24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31
# 8, 9, 18, 21
# 12
NOTES
UPDATED JUNE 2013
FIRST CLASS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN
darwin international Airport | Airport Management Centre
T: +61 8 8920 1811 | F: +61 8 8920 1800 | E: [email protected]
PO Box 40996 Casuarina NT 0811 | 1 Fenton Court Eaton NT 0820
www.darwinairport.com.au