Dancing Duet~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, Flowers, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS, Wild Life

The Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney Australia are an urban bird paradise.

I found this pair of magpie larks singing and dancing happily in the park.

The name magpie lark is a misnomer as these handsome birds are neither magpies nor larks, but are members of the giant monarch flycatcher family.

Magpie larks are musical prodigies who sing co-ordinated duets together, timed by the metronomic movements of their synchronized dancing. See: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160803-the-strange-reason-magpie-larks-dance-when-nobody-is-looking

Cheers to you from the magical birdies of Oz~

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231 thoughts on “Dancing Duet~”

  1. Yay! I can comment on your blog!

    Obviously I am having WP issues with comments.

    However, no issues with these beauties and this wonderful post. What a feast of photography Australia is! Thank you, Cindy!

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    1. I am worried the Australians are going to get tired of me hijacking their country with my photos. Sorry guys, your country is a minute by minute photographic feast! If it weren’t for my family, I would probably still be there! დ

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      1. Definitely not worried Cindy…but just imagine being stuck here because of the virus, 6 months at least while this thing is going on 😀
        Would you like me to give a call to customs, I’m sure I could convince them you’ve stolen all our birds and they must bring you back for questioning…and then you can’t go back because of the virus, when they realise you’ve only taken their pictures lol 😂 🤣

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        1. Yes! Please! Thank you! Please do this. Would it be to much trouble, to charge my husband, my son, my daughter, her husband and the two twin 20 month old boys???? Think how much they would like to meet a wallaby on a walk, a wombat in the garden, an echidna in the driveway, and then of course, the birds, the dolphins in the bay….I could keep going on. You lucky Aussies you. Love to you and your awesome continent. If I get arrested, I will be so thanking you 😉 დ

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        1. You have a discerning eye Alexander. There is a lot being said here. This is a nearly near adolescent bird dancing, fluffling, singing, wanting more food from the parent. The parent has that jaundiced look, thinking I can’t keep doing this….. I see this with so many bird parents here at The Holler. It is a hard break for the fledgling, and for the parents დ

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    1. Aren’t they amazing! Bird brained means brilliant brained and I love the scientist who came up with the replica idea, you could tell he had fun with this study! დ

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        1. Oh my gosh, they are so adaptive, which means clever and survivable. They migrate everywhere they shouldn’t go, to the high desert near to us, to the mountains with the snow near us. I mean they are claiming prime southern california real estate without paying a penny! And they are staying. Why not. Free rent. People here think they are awesome and exotic and feed them (my family and me too). They fly in. Stay. Own it. Never pay a penny. I should be so smart! 😉 დ

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          1. Haha be careful, those geese will take over everything! I guess that’s a sign of some level of intelligence, though. But, one thing I know for certain is that they have no idea how to navigate traffic. No matter what side of the road they’re on when you approach them, they always run straight in front of your car…sort of like squirrels, but larger.

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            1. My son explained the squirrel thing to me. He said over the process of evolution, bolting fast, even towards a large predator when it is also moving fast, can distract the predator and increase the odds of the squirrel escaping. It may have been a good strategy for the eons of evolution for squirrels, that and bolting into holes. Cars, evolutionarily speaking, they are super newbies on the block, so maybe we need to give the squirrels more time…..

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        1. Nice captures, never heard of these birds, there are just too many different ones. We will be looking for bee-eaters, etc. on Saturday, our 2nd guided ornithlogical excursion this year – with COVID19 precautionary rules – after finish of lockdown several weeks ago. Quite disturbing and bizarre times also here in Germany. Stay safe 🙂 Ulli

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    1. Laughing….I think this dancing and singing involved an adolescent trying to cage food from a tired parent, hence the fed up expression. They still did sing and dance though. And thank you, you stay safe too დ

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  16. Just read a children’s book called ‘Johnathan Crow, Detective. I’m sure one (or more of the short story chapters featured a meadow lark. 😀

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      1. I think I was surprised when the book related that Johnathan Crow was over twenty years old. I do chase the crows from the bird feeder from time to time, but I also give them turns.

        I think some of them have learned to share… the feeder that is. 😉

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          1. Not often but I’ve seen the crow and a catbird on the feeder at the same time. Sometimes a Cardinal and wrens will be on the feeder and a crow will be on the ground below and visa versa 😀

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              1. Just thought I’d let you know I saw a crow and a wren on the same feeder. I’m not sure that the crow knew the wren was actually there though 😉 Often the crows will be on or fighting for the feeder, but under the feeder there will be different birds catching the seed they knock down 😀

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    1. Awww, you are the best Sally! Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. I am happy the wild birdies brighten your day as they do mine. Stay safe and well my friend დ

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  26. Lol -They are both looking a little bit excentric. Seems the right one is the leader of the duo. 😉 Thank you for sharing another wonderful birds with me, Cindy. Unbelievable how intelligent and famous birds are all over the world. Be well and stay save. Michael

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  29. Cindy, these birds are beautiful indeed and you did a fine job on capturing the Black and White colors with perfection! It is hard for me to get the details of the blacks without blowing the whites with such a photo but you nailed it beautifully.

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  30. Pingback: Sunday Post – 5th July, 2020 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost | Brainfluff

  34. Beautiful birds! We don’t often see a black-in-white combo in nature, I think. I can think only of the zebra, panda, the lovely dalmatian. I’m sure there are actually quite a few, but it’s still striking to me. Cheers to you, Cindy!

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