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May 25, 2012
Australia Zoo
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Jack the jabiru is a force to be reckoned with.

Animal Attractions
Want a closer look? Check out More Bird Photos.

Enhance your experience: Watch Birds in Action!

To learn more about the zoo, check out The Australia Zoo in Depth.

Ready for more? Head back to the Australia Zoo Map.

Jabiru, Brolgas and Water Birds

The brolgas, jabiru and water birds that live at Australia Zoo are a colorful and quirky bunch.

Bruce is a male brolga who was born in the wild around 1992 and then hand-raised. He loves to chase keepers out of his enclosure, trying to stab them with his beak as many times as he can on their way out.

Woodstock is a female brolga who was born at the Territory Wildlife Park in 1996. Woodstock is Bruce's girlfriend and loves to dance with Bruce early in the morning and in the late afternoon.

Dancing brolgas face one another with their wings spread and swagger, pirouette, leap wildly, flap their wings, shake their heads and toss objects into the air. All the while they make loud, trumpeting calls. It's quite a sight to behold.

Jack is a male jabiru with wild origins from the Gold Coast Hinterland. Unfortunately he has one amputated wing, but he is still the boss of his enclosure. He rules over everything and gets first dibs on the food.

Jabirus, which are native to Central and South America, are among the largest flying birds in the New World, reaching heights of up to 5 feet.

Pete, a little pied cormorant, loves to hang out in his pond and chase all the small fish about.

Maggie is a female magpie goose who was born in the wild in the late 1980s and then hand-raised. She loves a good cuddle.

Marty is a male magpie goose who was born in the Territory Wildlife Park in 1996. He has a rather large bump on the top of his head. Marty likes to think he is "all that" and loves nothing better than to attack the legs of volunteers and keepers. He also fights valiantly for first dibs on the food.

Swanny is a female black swan who was born in mid-1998 at Currumbin Sanctuary on the Gold Coast. Swan likes to cruise the park, hanging out with wood ducks Yaki and Peepa. She also loves to get into trouble by visiting everyone at the diner during lunchtime.

Animal Facts
Name: Brolga (Grus rubicunda)
Primary Classification: Gruiformes (Cranes and Relatives)
Location: Northern and eastern Australia and souther New Guinea.
Habitat: Open wetlands, freshwater swamps, plains, grasslands, grain fields and salt flats.
Diet: Tubers, seeds, grain, invertebrates and small vertebrates, such as frogs.
Size: Up to 3.3 ft in height.
Description: Silver-gray plumage. Bare head. Gray-green bill. Yellow eyes. Patch of red skin behind eyes. Long, slender neck. Tall, slender body. Long, dark gray or black legs.
Conservation Status: Lower Risk (Proposed)
Major Threats: Habitat loss, predation by invasive species and incidental poisoning.
What Can I Do?: Visit the International Crane Foundation for information on how you can help.

Name: Jabiru, aka Jabiru Stork (Jabiru mycteria, aka Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus)
Primary Classification: Ciconiiformes (Herons and Relatives)
Location: Central and South America.
Habitat: Savannahs, coastal lagoons and marshes.
Diet: Fish, frogs and snakes.
Size: Up to 5 ft in height.
Description: White plumage. Bare, black neck with a red band. Long, heavy, curved bill.
Conservation Status: Not listed.
Major Threats: Habitat loss and hunting.
What Can I Do?: Visit the Conservation International for information on how you can help.

Name: Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata)
Primary Classification: Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Location: Southern New Guinea and northern Australia.
Habitat: Flood plains and swamps.
Diet: Mainly aquatic vegetation. Also certain crops, seeds and insects.
Size: Up to 35 inches in length and 6.5 lbs in weight.
Description: Black-and-white plumage. Large, bony "bump" on head. Long neck. Very long, pale orange legs. Large, slightly webbed toes. Unusually long hind toes.
Conservation Status: Common

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