Long-billed Corellas are a magnificent sight in the wild, often flying in large flocks, filling the sky with their presence and their loud wavering and screeching calls.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 800
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM EXT
Today’s portraits are of Kevin, the Long-billed Corella who features as part of Healesville Sanctuary’s Spirits of the Air program. As much as I loathe the thought of birds being caged the sanctuary birds are rescues that would not survive in the wild. They’d either be humanely euthanised or some, like Kevin, live out their lives in spacious flight aviaries and become part of a team that educate and inspire the general public to take more interest in our beautiful birds.
I love the intense look in the image above, as though he is intelligently surveying the audience – which I’m sure is true.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 800
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM EXT
These corellas are easily confused with Little Corellas but can be identified by their long upper bills and the reddish-orange markings on their faces and upper breasts. I’m fascinated by the texture of the bare skin around their eyes.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 800
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM EXT
I took a few portrait shots of Kevin on my recent visit to the sanctuary. He is a huge crowd pleaser as he dances, laughs, growls, says ‘wings’ and turns around on his perch. Part of the show implores everyone to use recycled toilet paper, such a simple, vital request that would make a huge difference to our forests. Bamboo is also a choice in my local shops.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 800
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM EXT
These social birds are sometimes shot if deemed to be causing issues, especially on golf courses, despite there being many successful deterrents available. If you’re interested in supporting the efforts of the Australian Native Parrot Protection Association please visit and like their Facebook page either by searching or by clicking this link: www.facebook.com/AusNativeParrotProtectionAssociation
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 800
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM EXT
I love the shot above, it looks as though he’s saying listen to me, listen to nature. If we do the world will be a better place for all us.
Stay safe, happy birding, Kim
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Dropping by via Sue (Elephant’s Child), to at least leave a little com(pli)ment.: Apart from your words – I do admire your photographs.
Welcome Sean and thank you for your kind com(pli)ment! I’ve just visited your page and seen your beaut Monochrome Monday shot, it’s very evocative.
Love the photos as always Kim. What a gorgeous boy he is!
Very interesting to read that hte birds in the zoo/sanctuary shows are often rescues (and therefore unsuitable for living in the wild) – I didn’t know that.
Thank you Fiona. It’s good to see how much ‘zoos’ have been changing over the years isn’t it. I still have a horrific memory of a lion in a circular wired cage with nowhere to hide. The memory is etched in my mind, even though I was very young, as the keepers threw a complete cow’s head inside…
Much to the disgust and protest of my fellow members of the local branch of BirdLife Australia and the local field naturalist group, the relevant authorities granted a shooting permit to remove Long-billed Corellas from around the Numurkah Golf Club . We created the issue by allowing the building of grain facilities in town , and then built a very good storm water retardation basin with thousands of new plantings . Put the seed and the water together and thousands of corellas moved to town ! They love the open grazing available at the golf club and the lines of old trees make suitable roosting sites . The pre-dawn morning of the shoot , the leaders and all available guns assembled and walked to where thousands of corellas roost . They crept to the golf course . Thereupon they found nothing ….not one corella ! Abject failure . What happened , no-one knows . Can corellas read ? Do they listen to town gossip ? Or were they flushed from the trees a few hours earlier by persons unknown ? It’s a mystery . They are back doing what Long-billed Corellas are meant to do , oh, and the permit has expired .
They probably read of their fate on the local Bookface page … Good work Paul brings a smile to my face reading this … and of course thanks for these wonderful pictures Kim … I look forward to seeing this weeks shots every Saturday …
Paul’s comment made me smile too Dave! I’m glad you enjoy my shots, thank you, Kim
Hi Paul so good to hear about your wonderful work saving the corellas. Would love to get more details to help us at ANPPA Australian Native Parrot Protection Association use such measures to protect them from harm to add to our educating and informing golf clubs to use only non-lethal measures. ANPPA is on Facebook and you can use either Messaging or email us to arrange a discussion which would be so good. Again SO well done – a great job done keeping our wonderful corellas safe!
And thank you for all you do to keep them safe Elizabeth, many, many thanks!
Your comment was such a brilliant read Paul! So brilliant that I’ve read it more than once, smiling each time.
We get both the long and the little Corellas here – and love them. From a distance the bare skin around their eyes looks like blue eye makeup – which they rock better than any person I have ever seen.
Thank you for showcasing yet another of our native birds who has claimed a corner in my heart.
Oh yes, they do look rather as if they’re wearing eye make-up, along with some lippy that was applied with their eyes closed while ski-ing! It’s great that you get to see both species. I’m so sorry to hear what’s been going on in Canberra, and that it impacted the Lifeline event. I hope it isn’t affecting you too much EC.
What a handsome fellow! Beautiful pics!
He is very impressive!