Brolgas

Description:

There are probably no more stately Australian bird than the pale gray, long-legged Brolga, & certainly none presents more elegant sight than the Brolga when it dances. Aboriginal legend says the Brolga was once a famous dancer, Buralga. She spurned the attention of an evil magician who changed her with a whirlwind cloud of dust into the graceful crane. When dancing, Brolgas line up, roughly opposite each other & start movements : they step forward on their long stilt legs with wings half open & shaking. Bowing & bobbing their heads, they advance & retreat. Now & then a bird will stop &, throwing back its head, trumpet wildly. Sometimes they leap into the air a metre or so & parachute back to the ground on their broad, black & grey wings. Pieces of twig & grass are thrown into the air. Their elaborate dance may be part of a courtship display, but they do dance outside the breeding season. - Readers Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds.

Habitat:

Brolgas live throughout coastal, tropical Australia, close to swamp-lands. I spotted around 12 today. They were quite a distance away, but I'll be keeping an eye on them to try & capture their dancing. I do need permission to get onto this cattlemans land too!