Scuffling noises on the roof, like there was something in the ceiling woke me up early in the morning a couple of days ago. It was accompanied by a loud ruckus of butcher bird calls and on closer inspection a family of black butcher birds had killed a reasonable sized green tree snake which was now laying motionless on the ground surrounded by the family, all 'talking' about it.
The snake must have been in the large sapling that has had an enormous growth spurt as part of the rejuvenation of the rainforest and is beginning to bend over the house under the weight of the vines proliferating since cyclone Yasi.
The butcher bird family consists of two adults and two juveniles.
The young juveniles were being overseen and coaxed to deal with this large newly acquired meal by the adult sitting on a branch above.
Sibling rivalry was swift with one of the chicks taking assertive control of the situation and grasped the snake in it's beak, lifting it off the ground and pulling it back and forth. The mutilated head of the snake was probably part of a fundamental lesson learned - to make sure it is dead. There was no doubt it was dead!
The parent flew down periodically to pick up the limp reptile and drop it, showing the young bird how it is done. The parent's encouraging melodic sounds were answered with the relentless high pitched squeaking (for the want of a better word) of the juvenile as it repeated its attempts to lift the heavy, now dead weight, prey off the ground.
This was a big job, and it was obviously going to take a while to resolve as each attempt to fly off with the prize failed.
Half and hour passed by and as the meal was being gradually moved under the cover of the forest, suddenly a major skink flew out from behind a nearby tree lunging at the young bird with its mouth wide open. The parent immediately flew down to back up the chick. The skink stood its ground during the flurry and there was a short stand off before it returned to the darkness behind the tree.
The chick then continued to drag the snake back and forth attempting to lift it off the ground when the skink rushed forward a second time then disappeared again. It seemed the commotion was heading a little too close to the skink's home prompting it to defend its patch rather than it attacking for any other reason.
While the black butcher bird was observing from the branch above, it suddenly appeared to grab a leafy branch in it's beak and with an aggressive yank, ended up with a very large fat stick insect in it's beak. The two juveniles took their attention off the snake and with a chorus of screeching, followed the parent and fought over the tasty snack. The chick was soon back to battle with the larger meal.
While the black butcher bird was observing from the branch above, it suddenly appeared to grab a leafy branch in it's beak and with an aggressive yank, ended up with a very large fat stick insect in it's beak. The two juveniles took their attention off the snake and with a chorus of screeching, followed the parent and fought over the tasty snack. The chick was soon back to battle with the larger meal.
The sounds of the birds talking to each other was impossible to ignore.
Another half an hour went by as the young bird was learning the ropes before the adult finally flew down, swiftly gathered the snake in its beak and took it into the tangled cyclone altered rainforest.
Another half an hour went by as the young bird was learning the ropes before the adult finally flew down, swiftly gathered the snake in its beak and took it into the tangled cyclone altered rainforest.
Butcher birds place their larger catches in a secure place such as a crevice, hook or fork in a tree to feed on or store for later. This family was out and about hunting again well before the snake meal could have been consumed. The dominating sound of the family communicating while hunting and feeding in the still, quiet rainforest continued all day and they were constantly seen with various insects in their beaks.
Later in the day I took these photos just outside my studio of one of the juveniles dozing and stretching after a hard day of 'hunting and gathering'.
Later in the day I took these photos just outside my studio of one of the juveniles dozing and stretching after a hard day of 'hunting and gathering'.
A 'new year' means nothing more to this family than another day. They will continue to be one of the most efficient survivors of their natural environment as long as it is there for them to live in.
The natural environment is integral to our survival too so it is hard to understand why it is being ignored and so compromised in the major decision making process of what is considered world progress. We all need to stop for a moment and seriously contemplate how we live and how our lives impact on our homelands and the survival of our future generations. We all know the famous Cree prophecy "Only when the last tree is cut down................"
One of our strongest traditions is to each year resolve to make a change in our lives that will make a positive difference to our future.
I would like to be part of a world where the environment is considered before, or on an equal basis, as our community and economy and I resolve to be careful and mindful of anything I do that may impact on that precious environment, our heritage.
liz
The natural environment is integral to our survival too so it is hard to understand why it is being ignored and so compromised in the major decision making process of what is considered world progress. We all need to stop for a moment and seriously contemplate how we live and how our lives impact on our homelands and the survival of our future generations. We all know the famous Cree prophecy "Only when the last tree is cut down................"
One of our strongest traditions is to each year resolve to make a change in our lives that will make a positive difference to our future.
I would like to be part of a world where the environment is considered before, or on an equal basis, as our community and economy and I resolve to be careful and mindful of anything I do that may impact on that precious environment, our heritage.
liz
