More Australian Native Animals and Birds

There are many more Australian native animals and birds, but they won’t all be shown here. The ones I am showing are some that may be on display in some of  Australia’s Zoos, and wild life parks.

Brush Turkey

The Australian brush turkey belongs to the family of megapodes, and like the mallee fowl, it incubates its eggs in large mounds of rotting vegetation.

But it is most often seen in rainforest and eucalypt forest areas. It stays in certain areas all year, it breeds and forages in the forest leaf litter for fruits, seeds and small animals.

This fascinating bird is abundant in some areas but its numbers have been declining, particularly near the cities. In places where it shares breeding and foraging grounds with humans, the survival of these birds depends largely places like Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary were they are able to roam free.

Bandicoot

The Bandicoot is a small marsupial and almost every area of Australia has its species. They are often confused with rats. Unfortunately like many native mammals, they have been declining in numbers.

They are nocturnal and hide during the day in their nest, a hollow log or crevice; they eat mainly insects, worms, plants, and sometimes lizards as well as some small mammals, such as mice. The declining numbers mean we don’t see them very often these days.

Wedge Tailed Eagle

This beautiful bird, with a massive wingspan of 2.5-m is Australia’s largest bird of prey.

Wedge-tails are found throughout Australia.

They display considerable adaptability, and have sometimes been known to team up to hunt animals such as large the red Kangaroo.

Wedge-tailed Eagles were one time Farmers thought they killed young calves but in recent years they have found they only feed on those already dead.

Wedge-tails can spot the activity of crows around a carcass from a great height. They are often seen by the roadside in rural Australia, feeding on road kill, and often end  being injured or killed, as after gorging on the road kill they are too heavy to get away quickly.

Wombats

Full-grown wombats can weigh up 36 kg! They are territorial animals, but will share their burrows with visiting wombats. they have short legs but are said to have reached 40kms ph over a short distance.

They spend the day inside a  burrow or hollow log and come if its not too hot  or in the evening.

Most wombats are born from  September to December.  The single baby stays in the mother’s pouch for six to nine months.  Weaning at about one year, and they mature at about three years.