Bush Stone Curlew, Alice Springs, Australia
by Venetia Featherstone-Witty
Title
Bush Stone Curlew, Alice Springs, Australia
Artist
Venetia Featherstone-Witty
Medium
Photograph - Photographs
Description
The bush stone-curlew or bush thick-knee (Burhinus grallarius, obsolete name Burhinus magnirostris) is a large ground-dwelling bird endemic to Australia. The favoured habitat is open plains and woodlands, where they stalk slowly at night in search of invertebrates such as insects. The grey-brown coloration is distinguished by dark streaks, its eyes are large and legs are long. They are capable of flight, but rely on the camouflage of their plumage to evade detection during the day; the bush curlew will adopt a rigid posture when it becomes aware of an observer. Both sexes care for two eggs laid on the bare ground, usually sited near bush in a shaded position or next to a fallen branch.
This stone-curlew's voice is loud and can be heard at a great distance. The call of "weeloo" has an eerie and plaintive tone and is a familiar sound of the night in the Australian bush.The frequency of calls increases when weather conditions are changing, especially when rain is approaching an area. Several individuals may join their voices in chorus, greatly intensifying the extraordinary quality of their nocturnal calling.
FEATURED 9/10/21 in "Birds I Australia"
FEATURED 9/13/21 in "Beautiful Birds"
FEATURED 9/13/21 in "Macro Marvels"
FEATURED 9/13/21 in "Animal Photographs"
FEATURED 9/16/21 in "Lady Photographers"
FEATURED 9/15/21 in "Out of the Ordinary"
FEATURED 9/18/21 in "FAA Portraits, Birds"
SECOND PLACE in "Knots and Curlews Contest" in Birds in Australia
FEATURED in 9/21/21 in "New FAA Uploads"
FEATURED 10/11/21 in "Wildlife One A Day"
FEATURED 11/10/21 in "Your Very Best Photography"
FEATURED 12/5/21 in "A Birding Group Wings"
FEATURED 1/19/22 in "ABC Group - U is for Umber"
Uploaded
September 10th, 2021
Embed
Share
Comments (16)
Luther Fine Art
Congratulations! Your lovely art has been featured on the ABC Group home page from the U IS For UMBER week, January 3, 2022 - JANUARY 10, 2022. You are invited to add your wonderful art in the Features Archive Discussion in the ABC GROUP as a way to preserve your feature!
Don Columbus
Congratulations, your work is Featured in "A Birding Group - Wings" I invite you to place it in the group's "2020-2021 Featured Image Archive" Discussion!! L
Venetia Featherstone-Witty replied:
Thank you very much for the feature in "A Birding Group Wings", Don
Michaela Perryman
Congratulations, joint second place in Knots and Curlews Contest in Birds in Australia - November 2021
Marilyn DeBlock
Stunning image / capture Congrats on your features!
Venetia Featherstone-Witty replied:
Thank you so much Marilyn - I think it looks very intimate and I got really lucky with the early evening light.
Morris Finkelstein
Beautiful close up photograph of a Bush Stone Curlew with great colors, clarity, and perspective, Venetia! F/L
Louise Merigot
Congratulations on the feature in Birds in Australia, Venetia. I have never seen a Bush Stone-Curlew. L/F
Venetia Featherstone-Witty replied:
Thank you very much Louise - I saw this at the Desert Springs Nature Park in Alice Springs!