Birds of the National Pari 
By Edwin Ashby, F.L.S., M.B.O.U. 
"P*HE Painted Quail may be met with in the undergrowth, 
through which when disturbed it prefers to run rather than 
fly. It nests in the Park and is present throughout the year. The 
Peaceful Dove and the Common and Brush Bronzewing Pigeons 
all occur, the two latter rising with a whirr from the ground when 
they have been collecting fallen seeds, and being recognisable 
by the metallic colouring of the wings. 
As the dam near the Curator's residence is the only sheet 
of water available, water-birds are few. The Little Grebe, the 
Little Pied Cormorant, and the White-faced Heron (popularly 
called “blue crane") have been noticed. The Banded Plover 
has been recorded. Many years ago the Southern Stone-Plover, 
commonly called the Curlew, was common, and its mournful 
notes were often heard at night; the fox and feral cats are, 
doubtless, responsible for the extermination of this ground- 
nesting bird, whose method of escaping observation was to sit 
still and assimilate with its surroundings. 
Five birds of prey may be met with, viz . , the Wedge-tailed 
Eagle, readily recognised by its large size and wedge-shaped 
tail ; the Whistling Eagle, whose whistling call helps in its 
recognition; the Brown Hawk; the small Nankeen Kestrel, whose 
other name of “Wind-Hover" is so appropriate ; and the Boobook 
Owl, whose note of “mo-poke" is normally attributed to an 
unrelated species, the Tawny Frogmouth, which, with its relative 
the Owlet Nightjar, occur in the district, though they have not 
actually been noted for the Park. 
Of the seed-eating Parrots, the Adelaide Rosella and the 
beautiful Red-rumped Parrot are practically always present in 
the Park, but the little Elegant Parrot is a casual visitor. The 
brilliant Swift Parrot only visits the Park during its winter 
immigration, and then its occurrence is influenced largely by the 
flowering of the Eucalypts. 
When the red gums are in full flower or other honey is 
present in quantity, the four Lorikeets make an appearance. The 
Blue Mountain or Rainbow and the Musk Lorikeet sometimes 
come in large numbers ; both also visit the adjoining orchards 
during the fruit season. The Purple-crowned Lorikeet and the 
Little Lorikeet both come for the honey harvest, the former in 
large numbers and the last-named only at intervals, and then is 
never numerous. The former is commonly called “squeaker" ; 
the note of the Little Lorikeet is a little less shrill and seeminelv 
husky. 6 y 
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