SPOTLIGHT ON SPECIES - THE APOSTLEBIRD

One of the great things about camping in the Australian bush is the general tendency for local wildlife to crash join your party. Well, I think that's what often happens...maybe it's just me. While this 'hi, what you doing?' habit is less welcome if it's say, something that can kill you (and as every enlightened tourist knows, Everything in Australia Can Kill You), sometimes your nature bonding companions are nothing more than a charming mob of very precocious birds wearing prepare-to-die expressions.

Emerging from my tent one morning I encountered this large group of apostlebirds (Struthidea cinerea) wearing their best unthreatened-by-your-presence attitudes. So called because of their tendency to travel around in groups of 12, they also go by the name Grey Jumper, so I guess I can understand their disgruntled expression as I wouldn't much appreciate being named after such a boring item of clothing either.
Anyway, I gave them some of my pancakes and we called a truce.

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