|
|
Tui In My Garden
 |
|
| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Tui are considered to be very intelligent, much like parrots. They also resemble parrots in their ability to clearly imitate human speech, and are known for their noisy, unusual call, different for each individual, that combine bellbird-like notes with clicks, cackles, timber-like creaks and groans, and wheezing sounds—the unusual possession of two voiceboxes enable Tui to perform such a myriad of vocalisations.
Some of the huge range of Tui sounds are beyond the human register. Watching a Tui sing, one can observe gaps in the sound when the beak is agape and throat tufts.
Nectar is the normal diet but fruit and insects are frequently eaten, and pollen and seeds more occasionally. Particularly popular is the New Zealand flax, whose nectar sometimes ferments, resulting in the Tui flying in a fashion that suggests that they might be drunk. Tui are the main pollinators of flax, kowhai, kaka beak and some other plants. Note that the flowers of the three plants mentioned are similar in shape to the Tui's beak—a vivid example of mutualistic coevolution.
Male Tui can be extremely aggressive, chasing all other birds (large and small) from their territory with loud flapping and sounds akin to rude human speech. This is especially true of other Tui when possession of a favoured feeding tree is impinged. Birds will often erect their body feathers in order to appear larger in an attempt to intimidate a rival. They have even been known to mob harriers and magpies. The powered flight of Tui is quite loud as they have developed short wide wings, giving excellent manoeuverability in the dense forest they prefer, but requiring rapid flapping. They can be seen to perform a mating display of rising at speed in a vertical climb in clear air, before stalling and dropping into a powered dive, then repeating. Much of this behaviour is more notable during the breeding season of early spring—September and October. Females alone build nests of twigs, grasses and mosses.
Info from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tui_(bird)
IMAGE INFORMATION
Camera: Canon 1D Mk lll
Time of day: 1812 p.m.
Date: 13th January 2011
Weather conditions: Sunny
Lens: Canon Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM
Extender: Canon Extender EF 1.4x II
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/160
F-Stop: F/5.6
Focal Length: 420mm
Support: Monopod
ISO: 320
Original file type: Digital Raw |
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. |
|
|
| Discussions |
| None | | You must be logged in to start a discussion. |
|
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121]](https://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(49139)![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 29 W: 0 N: 33]](https://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-s.gif)
(162)