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Project Noah Nature School
Pomatostomus temperalis
Teaching baby to dust bathe - Known as Happy Family birds (when you see them together you can understand why!), grey/brown back, wings, tail, face stripe, soft grey crown over white head, front and belly white, slightly curved pointed black beak, large chestnut/rufous brown patch on wings seen in flight, young have very dark eyes. Call consists of many excited notes, but main identifying call sounds like 'yahoo'.
Found throughout much of Australia but becoming less common due to impacts of human activity, feral predation and other adverse impacts. Prefers areas where some tree cover is available, flicks over leaf litter in search of food.
The family group were very attentive to their lone baby bird and made sure it was schooled well in the art of dust bathing, coaxing it in from the sidelines until it was in amongst it. Baby initially looked on from a distance trying to work out what was going on. Lots of rolling and rollicking and chuckling as they do.
Spotted on Nov 4, 2012
Submitted on Dec 4, 2013
2 Comments
Thanks staccyh! Yes, so much fun just being in their company.
Great photos and info! It must have been fun to watch them :)