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Black Necked Stork


Black Necked Stork
Photo Information
Copyright: jon cody (darwin) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 247 W: 0 N: 455] (1716)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-06-17
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 40D, 100-400L is
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1000 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-06-28 19:47
Viewed: 780
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The elegant, leggy bird we know as the jabiru (sometimes called the black-necked stork) is the only member of the stork family native to Australia.

Its scientific name, Xenorhynchus asiaticus, comes from the Greek xeno meaning "strange" and rhynchos meaning "beak" or "nose".
At over 1.2 metres tall and with a wingspan of 2.2 metres, they are among Australia's largest birds.

The name jabiru does not have an Aboriginal origin, as many people assume. It comes from the Amazon Indian word zabiru which means "blown out with the wind". The "real" jabiru is a rare South American stork (Jabiru mycteria) with a prominent, red, inflatable neck bladder. This bladder is not a feature of its Australasian cousin but both species look fairly similar and this is probably why they share a common name. The South American jabiru is a heavier-looking bird with a more solid head and bill.

In some areas of Australia, jabirus are also known as policeman-birds because of their black and white colouring and straight, very upright stance. At over 1.2 metres tall and with a wingspan of 2.2 metres, they are among Australia's largest birds.

Although known as a black-necked stork, the Australian jabiru is actually a colourful bird. When you see one standing in the sunlight, the feathers of the head and neck become a spectacular display of iridescent greens, purples and blues. The birds also have a broad band of black feathers across their wings and tail, while the rest of the body is a brilliant white.

It's quite easy to tell the difference between the adult male and the female: the female's eyes are yellow and the male's are black. Both sexes have long, thin, red legs and unwebbed feet with long toes - they are known for their elegant, ballet-like displays which are often seen during the elaborate courtship ritual.

They live in estuaries, coastal rivers, lagoons and wetlands, hunting for fish, frogs, insects, crabs, prawns, yabbies, rodents and reptiles which they stab with their 30 cm-long bill.

They usually stalk their prey quietly but once it is spotted, they run and jump along in great, flapping strides for a short distance to catch it. Jabirus are normally solitary hunters but they have been seen hunting in pairs or small family parties. Taronga's bird keepers will also tell you that they use their sharp, long bills rather effectively to defend their territory from intruding humans (there are a number of stories about' the fearsome nature of Taronga's jabiru pair in the Wetlands exhibit near the main entrance).

For a long time, jabirus have been thought to be mute. However, they do make sounds and their call, though it is very rarely heard, is reported to be a dull booming sound. But their usual way of expressing themselves is by loudly clapping or clattering their beaks at anyone or anything that irritates them.

Jabirus are found across Australia's northern coastline and down to south-eastern NSW. But they prefer the tropical, warm wetland habitats and are only very rarely seen in NSW or Victoria. The same species is also found in New Guinea, southeast Asia and India.
The female lays between two and four eggs and both parents take turns incubating them.

Unlike the famous white storks of Europe which undertake long annual migrations to winter in Africa, the Australian jabirus do not migrate but are nomadic within their own region. They are good fliers but can look rather ponderous on take-off, needing plenty of room for the series of running jumps needed to launch themselves. Once airborne they can soar on the thermals hundreds of metres above the ground.

Like other members of the stork family, jabirus are believed to mate for life and make good parents. Both the male and the female build and repair the nest - a large, rather messy platform of sticks lined with softer grass. Nests are sometimes in a low tree in swampy areas but more often they are built high up in forest trees (sometimes 25 metres above the ground).

The female lays between two and four eggs and both parents take turns incubating them. For a little more than three months after the eggs hatch, the parent birds share the task of providing food for their growing chicks. In hot weather they have even been observed regurgitating water over the eggs or nestlings to cool them down.
MartinL, jaycee, CeltickRanger, uleko, Vinster, eliz, SueThomson, GLEM, lise, marhowie, SelenE, pekkavalo1, rcrick, haraprasan, eng55, Maite, maurydv, Argus, Luis52, rousettus, hester has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Jon,

What a beautiful shot! You've captured this amazing bird with great sharpness, detail and an excellent pose of the wings. The bird alone is beautiful as well. It is such a contrast from what I am used to - herons and egrets. Those birds are beautiful as well but are no match when compared to this one. This is just stunning. Amazing work!

Best Regards,

Martin

  •      
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1788 W: 8 N: 4639] (15001)
  • [2008-06-28 20:19]

Hi Jon,

I am spellbound by this picture of this Stork. Fantastic job - he is absolutely beautiful. The red, white, and blue with the yellow eye is stunning. Sharp sharp details of the entire bird. So special that he is flying low and we can see the beautiful setting.

Out of smiles - be back.

Jane

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2468 W: 168 N: 7464] (23588)
  • [2008-06-28 21:33]

Hello Jon,
What an outstanding in-flight capture of this beautiful Jabiru! I love its stretched-out pose and the colours are stunning! Excellent focus and sharp details. Beautiful flowers (small water-lilies?) in the water too as a background. Very well done!
TFS and cheers, Ulla

Hi Jon

Superb shot, the colours of the bird are awesome, great exposure and focus. Lovely background too - though a very minor criticism would be to fix the horizon as it's a little tilted.

TFS a wonderful image.

Vinny

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  • eliz Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 38 W: 0 N: 80] (450)
  • [2008-06-29 0:41]
  • [2]

oooo ! fantastic image! subject and composition is one of the best i`ve seen here on treknature. i add it to favorites.

although i see some things that can be improved:
1. the image it`s a little bit rotated. try to rotate 1-2 degree to the left, that white flowers band from the background to be horizontally.
2. the bird feet are to saturated. try to use the sponge tool from photoshop and desaturate that part of the image.
3. the sharpen that you apply produced some rendering effects (pixelate) around left part of the wings. you can use the soften brush to repair that.

Hi Jon
This is a magic shot. An amazing bird, beautiful backdrop and a wonderful capture. Great eye, good note and nicely framed...bellissimo!
Cheers
Sue

Hello Jon,

A striking picture with all those colours. Excellent composition. Great sharpness. Wonderful vivid colours.
Very well done,
Cheers,
Mariki

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  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 289 W: 3 N: 788] (2822)
  • [2008-06-29 2:52]

Hello Jon,
A well realised picture - a very difficult shot to get - plus really nice colour and DOF.
Regards,
Siegfried

Hello Jon,
We don't see this bird too much on TN. And you made it also in flight. The colours are very beautiful and it is very sharp. FG and BG are great. Excellent low POV and composition.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • GLEM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 524 W: 87 N: 693] (5739)
  • [2008-06-29 7:14]

hi Jon,
a pleasure to discover you in tn with this nice flyght shot. Great colors, perfect management of dof.
well done

gl

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  • lise Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 183 W: 51 N: 552] (2699)
  • [2008-06-29 7:45]

Hi Jon,
This is such a colorful bird! I've never seen a picture of this guy before, thanks for sharing this one :)
Wonderful bright colours and details, great action shot.
Very well done
Liz

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2351 W: 61 N: 3811] (12226)
  • [2008-06-29 13:34]

Hi Jon,
Your notes are very interesting. I didn't know you call them Jabiru in Australia. They look quite different from Jabiru mycteria, I'll upload an adult Jabiru for you soon.
It's a beautiful bird with eyecatching plumage colors.
TFS
Greetings,
Selen

Hi Jon,

Excellent capture of this Black Necked Stork in flight with great composition, sharp details, good BG, eye contact and colours.

TFS

Pekka

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 629 W: 42 N: 1156] (3736)
  • [2008-06-29 21:54]

Hi Jon,

What a stunner mate just wonderful, those colours are just amazing, excellent detail, composition and framing spot-on, really nice work, all the best,

Cheers Rick :)

  • Great 
  • vral Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 59 W: 0 N: 159] (690)
  • [2008-06-30 0:13]

Hi Jon,

wonderful in flight shot.POV and colors are superb. Well done.

TFS

vral

hello Jon

great in-flight shot of this amazing bird with his amazing colours,
very fine, POV, DOF and framing, great sharpness
and details of the Stork, superb contrast of the colours
between his legs and his neck and head, TFS

Asbed

Hi Jon,
A nice capture of this beautiful stork flying. Superb details with excellent composition and very good timing. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 353 W: 3 N: 376] (1127)
  • [2008-07-01 0:51]

Hi Jon,
Very strong composition,striking colours and positioning.Exposure is very good too.Good details and thanks for the note.Very well done!
Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1330 W: 107 N: 4816] (21378)
  • [2008-07-01 7:28]

Hello Jon! What an incredible shot! You captured that beautiful bird in a perfect way, good work, thanks!

Mario

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 24 N: 4988] (16346)
  • [2008-07-02 6:02]

Hi Jon,
Outstanding in-flight shot of this very beautiful and elegant Jabiru and you have freezed it magnificently. Very impressive sharpness and colours with superb light and exposure management. The water lilies gives the image a magical touch. Excellent DOF, POV and composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 982 W: 64 N: 1198] (4928)
  • [2008-07-02 9:45]

Hello Jon
What a marvellous capture of this stunning and beautiful stork! I like a lot the colors of its plumage and long legs. You captured it perfectly sharp and clear in good exposure and in a perfect timing. The water-lilies on the surface of the pond are a point for the composition. Really a beautiful picture.
Thank you very much for sharing.
Best regards
Maite

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  • maurydv Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 620 W: 0 N: 1029] (4248)
  • [2008-07-02 15:02]

Splendida cattura in volo di questo coloratissimo uccello, eccellente POV, ottima composizione (personalmente raddrizzerei l'orizzonte, anche se questa è la prospettiva corretta), molto buona la nitidezza, magnifici i colori. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-07-04 22:29]

Hello Jon

This is a beauty,
Excellent in flight capture with wonderful rich colours.
Nicely composed with very good detail.
TFS

Rob

Hi Jon, splendid composition with wonderful flying bird, fantastic colors and excellent sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2613 W: 133 N: 7504] (23403)
  • [2008-07-09 12:35]

Hello Jon,
An excellent in-flight of a Jabiru. The POV , colours, sharpness and composition as it glides over the flower-bordered water are great (the water is slightly 'uphill':))
TFS this fine image that I missed while I was away,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1022 W: 5 N: 2802] (10144)
  • [2008-07-10 7:51]

Hola Jon.
This is a beautiful image My friend. this Jaribu really has a Lovely colors in all his body. I like the red legs and blue head.
Saludos Luis52.

Hello Jon,
this is really very beautiful storks and different species, I have seen up to now. Excellent composition with water flowers. POV, focus, coloration great. TFS, best wishes
Ahmet

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  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1471 W: 18 N: 2981] (10944)
  • [2008-07-17 12:12]

Hi Jon

What a gorgeous bird, it is wonderfully colourful. Nice pose captured and well composed

TFS

Karan

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