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> There are few Australian animals more reviled than the white ibis. I just want to say that as a Queenslander who has had Ibises run off with whole steaks bra
by zizee 4y ago
> There are few Australian animals more reviled than the white ibis.
I just want to say that as a Queenslander who has had Ibises run off with whole steaks brazingly zoinked straight off a sizzling bbq, I think reviled is a bit hyperbolic. I have think people mostly have a grudging respect for these bbq bandits
- soperj 4y agoQuestion: Why don't aussies have lids on their BBQs?
- technion 4y agoI do, but I've had snags taken by kookaburras just trying to move them onto a plate before taking them inside.
- jon_adler 4y agoThe ibises are usually located on the coast, by a beach where humans hang out. In Queensland, the council typically provide free BBQ facilities to cook your lunch. It’s often a great experience. The free BBQs are electric and on a timer, with a flat grill. I’m guessing this is the type of BBQ the hapless steak was stolen from.
- contingencies 4y agoMany NSW beach BBQs are gas AFAIK. I guess this is because buried high voltage infrastructure costs more to install to remote locations than an occasional gas bottle change.
- soperj 4y agoYes, I understand that. I don't think I've ever seen an Aussie with a grill that has a lid though? It's all flat grills.
- skissane 4y agoThe LPG BBQ on our back deck has a lid, and our setup is very common. (Keep in mind when we say “BBQ” we usually mean grilling, which is not what many Americans would call “BBQ”.) If you go to Bunnings and look for a BBQ, heaps of them have lids.
- primax 4y agoMost backyard grills will have them. It's just culturally people use the public parks and facilities a lot
- tomhoward 4y agoAlmost all of the barbecues you can buy now at Bunnings or Barbecues Galore (probably the two biggest Australian retailers for barbecues by far), have lids/hoods. https://www.bunnings.com.au/products/outdoor-living/barbecue https://www.bunnings.com.au/products/outdoor-living/barbecue https://www.barbequesgalore.com.au/barbeques/free-standing/ https://www.barbequesgalore.com.au/barbeques/free-standing/
- peblos 4y agoYep. Ibis are generally dirty, walk awkwardly, even take flight and land pretty awkwardly so they’re easy to dislike But they’re pretty chill dudes. Lots of others birds will try to shove them off somewhere else and they’ll either wander away off their own accord, or they’ll completely ignore the other birds (probably a mynah) and just keep eating. They never really fight, they just mosy along Then you see this big lump of a bird try to find a comfy spot in a big tree which isn’t the most graceful sight so it’s kinda funny. And then out of nowhere (because they’re so quiet) they’ll remind you that love a good HONK. Sometimes they’ll even HONK, HONK, HONK, EEEEK they’re alright
- fncivivue7 4y agoThe most interesting thing about bin chickens to me is how they got their name. They never used to bother Sydney very much until one bird, yes one, was brought into the city on a boat. It managed to get back to it's home land, the next year, hundreds of them migrated into the city and raided the abundant food available in the cities bins. These aren't stupid birds, they're intelligent and communicate with their peers about food availability.
- ramphastidae 4y agoDo you happen to have a source for that story? That’s really interesting.
- donavanm 4y agoFYI, youre underplaying the migration aspect. For NSW, and I believe other states, their migration was a byproduct of habitat loss/pressure. Their native habitat is riverine and marsh lands, like macquarie marshes. As ag and surface water “reclamation” impacted those areas the birds were forced to migrate. As an example before the 1980s there were huge flocks in macqaurie and none recorded in sydney. By 2000s theyre functionally absent from macqaurie and only surviving in (sub)urban areas with easy food and water access. This riverine habitat loss is why you unfortunately see them nesting in palms in the city. It resembles the reedy habitat theycome from and keeps them safe-ish from urban cats, rats, etc. The downside is theyre not arborial birds and they lose tons of chicks and fledglings to falling out of the trees and dying. Same with appearing “dirty” because they dont have proper water access to clean and preen. In short, we destroyed their habitat and theyre hanging on where they still can. Welcome to the lucky country.
- enneff 4y agoAgree. I think they’re awesome birds and it is so cool they such an exotic looking bird should be considered a pest.
- nojs 4y agoAgree, I would say they’re on par with the magpie in terms of grudging respect. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_magpie https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_magpie
- mcbain 4y agoI love magpies. Clever birds, iconic look, and beautiful songs, but they are super aggressive territorial bastards for a month or so a year. Yes, I've been violently harassed by them while waking and riding bicycles through "their" territory - many people disagree, but I still think they are great.
- steve_taylor 4y agoThe trick is to befriend your local magpies throughout the year. Build trust and they’ll leave you alone.
- melagonster 4y agohow can we start this, just feed them?
- dragonsky 4y agoI find talking to them is a great way for to gain their confidence. Let them see you and see that you are not threat. Treat them like a dog you want to gain the confidence of an you can't go too far wrong. Don't chase them, just or rush at them, just let them that you belong in the space as well and are not a threat. Don't feed them. They don't need you to and unless you do it right you can make them very sick.
- lostlogin 4y agoThey are a pest here in New Zealand as they attack and kill native birds. They are also complete arseholes and appear to teach their which humans to attack.
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- unixhero 4y agoFuck I miss Queensland, lived there for 4 years.
- ghiculescu 4y agoMe too. I’ve been away for 5 years. Too long, time to move back!