Owner operator Neil Hermes shares wonderful stories in this weekly bird wrap; the extinct thunder birds, rescuing endangered ospreys, and Hollywood helping rescue birds. Visit neilhermes.com.au to book tours and trips in Canberra and other destinations in Australia.
Welcome to another episode of The Weekly Bird Wrap by Neil Hermes where I recap some of the most amazing stories and facts about birds across the nation and from all over the world!
Thunderbirds and How Did They Become Extinct?
About 50,000 thousand years ago, Australia was home to really big birds. One of them is known as the Australian Thunder Bird. It may have weighed more than 250 kilograms and stood more than 2 meters tall. But this giant bird disappeared suddenly leaving researchers puzzled about the cause whether it was due to climate change or the arrival of aboriginal people on the continent.
But the evidence has been unclear – there were no mass slaughter sites but there have been found burnt eggs.
A study was conducted on the fossilized egg shells and has found that indeed that the aboriginal people were egg-eating people.
Rescuing Endangered Ospreys
Ospreys are excellent fishers – which is why fish makes up most of their diet. As a result, these highly-agile birds of prey are always found near ponds, rivers, lakes, and waterways around the world.
The sad news is that there are less than 50 pairs of Ospreys in South Australia currently. However, apart from this devastating news, the good news is that a lot of park service officers and volunteers have come working to reestablish the birds. specifically, they have been building artificial towers to put nests onto.
Hollywood Helps to Rescue Birds
Hundreds of Hollywood stars are involved in producing work as an ode to birds named “For the Birds” – proceeds will go to bird conservation projects.
To learn more about the project, head over to The Birdsong Project website
The Leading Birding Tours in Australia | Neil Hermes: Our Ornithologist
A scientist by background, and a keen Ornithologist. Neil has lived in Canberra for over 50 years and has decades of experience in the tourism industry. He has turned his talents to guiding guests around Canberra which he called home for most of his life.
