Working for our future – today
Water birds
With its large pools and natural water systems,
several species of water birds can be found in
the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens.
Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)
Able to travel long distances, Black Swans are found
throughout Australia, apart from Cape York. Most are black
with white wing tips and they have dark orange bills with a
white band at the tip. The female is smaller than the male.
These birds prefer large bodies of water, requiring at least 40
metres to take flight. They are vegetarian and can plunge
their necks to a depth of one metre to feed on weeds. The
black swan pair for life and their untidy nest is usually found
on small islands or floating reed beds.
Inhabiting most types of waterways and small ponds, these
birds are mostly brown with buffed feather edges, a dark
crown, and an eye stripe with a cream patch around the
eye. Usually in pairs or flocks, Pacific Black Ducks mostly
feed on the seeds of aquatic plants, supplemented by small
crustaceans, molluscs and insects. They dabble for food by
submerging their head and neck in the water and upending
their body. Breeding of the birds is often after heavy rain
and can be conditional on the availability of water and food.
Australian Wood Duck
Australasian Grebe
(Chenonetta jubata)
(Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)
This pale grey duck with a speckled brown breast is generally
observed grazing on grass near fresh water. The birds move
in pairs or small groups, the male having a much darker
brown head than the female. Found only in Australia, this
duck is referred to as endemic, but is widespread across the
continent. It is sometimes called the Wood Duck or Mane
Goose because of its short, goose-like bill. The wood duck
nests in hollows of live trees and the female lays nine to 11
eggs at a time. When the young hatch, they must flutter
to the ground and then follow the parents to water. The
ducklings are striped and as immature birds, resemble the
female.
The Australasian Grebe is an interesting small bird, spending
most of its life on water. Its legs are placed well back on
its body and it walks with difficulty. When threatened, it
dives into the water rather than flies. The non-breeding
plumage gives it a similar appearance to the Hoary-headed
Grebe. Grebes feed on fish, frogs and aquatic invertebrates
by diving and swimming under water. The nest is generally
a floating mass of water weeds and the female may lay
three to six eggs. When the striped young hatch, they ride
on their mother’s back, clinging tightly while she dives to
hunt. This species is distributed over most freshwater areas
of Australia.
Little Pied Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax melanoleucos)
The Little Pied Cormorant is one of five cormorant species
in Australia. It has a white front and black back and is
similar in size to the Little Black Cormorant. Other species
of cormorants are much larger. The cormorant swims under
water, propelling itself with strong webbed feet. Unlike
most water birds, its feathers are not waterproof, which
allows it to remain under water more readily. It also floats
much lower in the water due to this feature. Cormorants
feed on fish and invertebrates, such as prawns and yabbies.
Little Pied Cormorants can be observed in both salt and
freshwater habitats.
Little Black Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)
Widespread throughout Australia, these slim, nomadic birds
are black with a green tinge on the back, which may vary
in the breeding season. Seldom seen on land, they usually
perch in trees, often with wings outstretched to dry as
their feathers are not waterproof. They feed primarily on
fish, aquatic insects and crustaceans and catch their prey
underwater, their webbed feet assisting with propulsion.
Male and females build large stick nests and share
incubation of their eggs.
Admire the birds but,
please, don’t feed them!
Feeding bread and other human food to birds can
cause serious health problems. For example, ducks that
eat human food not only become unhealthy, but can
become too heavy to fly.
Waste from birds that eat human food contributes to
water pollution.
Inappropriate feeding attracts excessive numbers of
birds.
Feeding human food to birds changes their natural
behaviour and upsets the ecosystem.
When birds are fed human food, they can become
aggressive or more vulnerable to predators.
The Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens, located
on Ashmore Road, Benowa, provides an area where
animals and birds are able to find vestiges of their
natural habitat in an otherwise suburban area.
For more information, visit
goldcoastcity.com.au/botanicgardens
Farm Ducks and Mallards
Supported by fgcbg.org.au
For more information, visit
gcparks.com.au
GCCC XXXX
At times, farm ducks find their way into or are dumped in
the Botanic Gardens. Increased planting of diverse native
plant species results in a rich urban habitat which provides
food and shelter to a diverse wild bird population. Mallard
is a non-native duck previously found in the gardens that
can interbreed with the native Australian Black duck to the
detriment of that species. With this in mind, native species
of duck are encouraged at the Botanic Gardens, while nonnative species are relocated.