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Your Favorite Ozzie Bird | Vote Early, Vote Often

September 30, 2023

[Posted by Chuck Almdale]

Update Tues. 3 Oct. The list is now down to 15 birds, with Tawny Frogmouth, Swift Parrot and Peregrine Falcon, in that order, leading the pack. Hey! C’mon now. Peregrine Falcon? Great bird, fastest stooper in the world, but they’re on every continent except Antarctica. Pick something endemic to Australia!

Australian Bird of the Year – Vote Now, vote often

Well…of course it helps if you know something about the birdlife of Australia. If you do, this contest, run by The Guardian, is for you! Every day they knock off 5 birds — they started with 50 and are now down to 30, so do the math. However, we’re now in round 5 which runs Friday to Monday, so I guess some days are 3 days long, which sounds about right. My favorite — Pied Butcherbird — which is not a great looker but has probably the most hauntingly beautiful song I’ve ever heard anywhere and is forever riveted into my memory, is still on the list. Feel free to vote for them if you like.

Below: Pied Butcherbird. No pressure, mate. She’ll be right.
Link to one singing Another one


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2 Comments leave one →
  1. Aurelio's avatar
    Aurelio permalink
    September 30, 2023 2:43 pm

    Did you mean “Aussie” ?
    I’ll bet Magpies are not on the final list.

    Like

    • Chukar's avatar
      Chukar permalink*
      October 1, 2023 2:29 pm

      No, it’s the Land of Oz, so they’re Ozzies. They sometimes write or say “Aussies,” “Strines” or even “Australians” just to be nice to the rest of us.
      Magpies: You may be right, they won’t make it to the end of the list, but Australian Magpies Gymnorhyna tibicen are not related to our northern Magpies, but are in the endemic Australian & SE Asian family Artamidae – Woodswallows, Bellmagpies and allies. They’re also the only bird in their genus.

      Here’s a link to a singing Pied Butcherbird: https://youtu.be/0nznLzzJnzs?si=ccWkUwew4WmhMGMD

      Like

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