Brisbane, QLD


Monday, July 19, 2010

Crash,Thump! Its not in the Book

I was in the bathroom, getting ready for work this morning when I heard a crash and a thump. Bill called out, "What was that?" I thought for a moment it was him, he thought it was me but no It was a bird crashing into the window. It was in a heap on the floor of the balcony. I ran for my camera. When I returned it was in a dazed state trying to get away. It climbed onto the wires and teetered there for a a short time. Then it took on a take off pose and somehow managed to launch itself. It flew to the safety of the trees no doubt with a sore head.
The strange thing is I have never seen this type of bird before. It looks like a parrot but with a stubby tail and a pale blue/grey head. I think it had red on its belly as well as yellow. 
It is much bigger than a Lorikeet. I have checked in both my bird books and can't find one with a tail like that, a yellow stripe on its wings and a pale head. So if there are any birders out there who can help with identification it would be appreciated.

18 comments:

  1. It happens here from time to time too, then I have to pick it up (because of the cats) and put it up on the hedge, usually after a while they fly away. Of course not such beauties as you have there !

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  2. Looks like a cross between a pigeon and a parrot! Most unusual. Must be because you said yesterday you were giving birds a go... it decided to visit you.

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  3. Cannot help you a bit---but I'm glad that the bird is okay, and got away (even if it had a headache)....

    Great pictures.. I hope you find out what it is....

    Hope Bill is doing okay.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  4. Great shots of your bird, whatever he is. Hope someone can identify it for you.

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  5. It looks like it had a parrot for a mama and a pigeon for a daddy! :-) LOL!!
    I will take a look in my bird book and see if there is anything that resembles it.

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  6. I think it is a Wompoo Fruit Dove (ptilinopus magnificus). Grows to 56cm and sexes are alike. Troipical and sub-tropical rainforest. Hangs upside down on branches feeding on berries and fruit. Its call is a loud and deep bubbling 'whompoo'.

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  7. Great photos, Diane - the expression "blind as a bat" comes to mind. Perhaps it should be changed to blind as a bird? I too thought it was a parrot but the markings are unusual and the beak looks different.
    I laughed about your description of Melbournians in shorts and tshirts. An English lady said they could always tell the Australians in England - they were the ones dressed in jumpers and long thick pants when they (the English) were dressed in summer dresses and/or shorts.

    Cheers.
    Melbourne Daily Photo

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  8. Diane, sorry I can not help with the id. I am happy it wasn't hurt. It is a beautiful bird!

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  9. Good grief! It sure looks different - colours of a parrot and shape and beak of a pigeon! Pity you were not able to catch it!
    Send the photo to some bird watching authority, I really would love to know what it was/is!
    I just wonder if some "weirdo" caught a dove and dyed the feathers? Nothing would surprise me these days.
    Great shot anyhow.
    Colin (HB)

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  10. poor bird. hope it's ok. same thing happened here when i first moved in. was sitting on the bed upstairs when an almightly crash. bird (galah) flew away. i suppose it's a fairly common thing.

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  11. Hi Diane and Bill.

    I talked to our local bird expert...Jonathan Pickvance, and he very quickly identified it as:

    A Wompoo Fruit Dove.

    So there you go.


    David

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  12. Well -- it was nice of it to pose for you! Glad the head bump didn't do any permanent damage. (You would have had a pretty interesting excuse for being late for work!)

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  13. Many thanks David for this information and verification:
    Here is the info: Courtesy of "google".
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wompoo_Fruit-dove

    I lived in PNG for 6 years where there were many strange birds, but never did I see anything like this.
    Cheers
    Colin (HB)

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  14. This is why I don't wash my windows. Well, that's my excuse. I wash them on the inside and just hose them off outside. I got tired (and upset) of picking up dead birds on the porch that had crashed into the glass. We have a lot of windows. Pretty bird! Glad it was ok.

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  15. Hi Diane, I think this is a dove or a pigeon. I have never seen such a colourful one. I will check and let you know. the photos are fantastic. Some doves or pigeons come and disappear again, generally they do not stay a whole season. Only the little crested pigeons they stay around.

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  16. It's both beautiful and strange!

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  17. It's a Wompoo Fruit Dove.

    Such a beautiful dove. I never knew something like this could exist.

    David

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  18. Oh, hope he's OK..the last one that flew into our window didn't make it.. :-(

    It doe shave similar features to ur mourning doves (the head)

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