- Home
- Photography Tours
- Diary / Blog
- Galleries
- Foreign Trips
- Tasmania 2016
- NE Queensland 2016
- Western Alps 2016
- NE Spain 2016
- Australia's Wet Tropics 2015
- Australia's Top End 2015
- SW Australia 2015
- Switzerland 2015
- Andalucia 2015
- Belize 2015
- Australia 2014
- Switzerland 2014
- Belize 2014
- Bahama Islands 2014
- Switzerland 2013
- Ecuador 2012-2013
- Florida 2011-2012
- Vancouver Island 2011
- Australia 2010
- Peru 2008
- Bulgaria 2007
- Lesvos 2006
- California 2006
- New Zealand 2005
- Extremadura 2005
- Goa, India 2004
- The Gambia 2003
- About
September 2016
Atherton Tablelands, QLD, Australia
Part 2 : Victoria's Riflebird
displaying male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
I took over 3000 photos of Victoria's Riflebirds during September (and another 5000 in October!) so I thought I'd dedicate a whole page to them. All the photos here are from September...the October photos will appear on a future page...
displaying male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
Late September is the peak display period for Victoria's Riflebird, a member of the Bird-of-Paradise family and throughout this time I could usually be found watching one of their favourite display perches. I found over 10 active display perches this year but only a few of them were suitable for photography.
displaying male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae) displaying to a female
On one morning, while the male Riflebird was sitting on his perch minding his own business, a male Cairns Birdwing came and repeatedly dive-bombed him! I've no idea what triggered such a reaction as I've never seen a butterfly attacking a bird before...maybe the greenish-blue irridescence on the crown of the Riflebird fooled the Birdwing into thinking it was a rival male?
male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae) |
male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae) |
|
|
female / immature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
female / immature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae) foraging for insects
It takes around 7 years for male Riflebirds to attain their full breeding plumage. Prior to this they are pretty much indistinguishable from females except during display season when the immature males enthusiastically practice their display routines.
displaying immature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
displaying immature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
displaying immature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
displaying immature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
After the circular double-wing raise, the next stage of the display is the alternate wing stretch where each wing is stretched in front of the face in turn. The speed with which it changes wings depends on the male's level of excitement. If a female was present it could get quite manic...
peek-a-boo!
Displaying immature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
displaying immature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae)
immature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae) |
2 immature male Victoria's Riflebirds (Ptiloris victoriae) |
Ray Wilson owns the copyright of all images on this site.
They may not be used or copied in any form without prior written permission.
raywilsonphotography@googlemail.com