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The Zoo boasts a very varied bird collection that includes cranes, ducks and geese, parrots, finches, doves and thick-knees. The grounds are also host to a variety of wild birds including fairy wrens, honeyeaters and banded rails. Look out for keepers in the aviaries who can provide great information about the birds.

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Bush Stone Curlew
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Bush Stone Curlew

The Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) is a large, ground-dwelling bird of extraordinary grace and beauty. It is endemic to Australia and nearby islands. It was formerly known as the Bush Thick-knee.

Threats to the bush stone-curlew include:

  • predation by foxes and cats
  • trampling of eggs by cattle
  • clearance of woodland habitat for agricultural and residential development
  • modification and destruction of ground habitat through removal of litter and fallen timber, introduction of exotic pasture grasses, grazing and frequent fires disturbance in the vicinity of nest sites.

Numbers have declined greatly over the last century. The bush stone-curlew is now endangered in NSW and were once widely distributed in Victoria. Sadly, they have suffered a significant decline, and it is estimated there are fewer than 300 breeding pairs left on the Northern Victorian Plains where it is now listed as critically endangered. One of the main problems affecting this ground-dwelling bird is that their chances of breeding successfully are very low. Curlew eggs and young are particularly vulnerable to predation by foxes and cats.

A stone-curlew working group bred and released a total of 85 young bush stone-curlews over 8 releases at two locations in southern NSW from 2008 to 2017. The group conducted the first successful release of bush stone-curlews in Australia and has been the driving force behind the establishment of numerous other similar programs across southeastern Australia. Many of the birds from these early releases have survived and been found breeding in the wild where predator control has been implemented and suitable habitat exists.

There is a managed captive breeding programme, which our birds from part of, and there are plans to release some of the offspring into suitably managed natural areas. While they are generally reliable breeders, it can take some pairs a few years to settle and breed successfully.

Orange-bellied Parrot
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Orange-bellied Parrot

A small migratory parrot that crosses the sea on its migration, Orange-bellied Parrots breed in south-west Tasmania in the summer and migrate to the coast of south-east mainland Australia for the winter. The migration route includes the west coast of Tasmania and King Island. They spend much of their day either on or close to the ground and often while a group is feeding, they will take it in turns as a sentinel to sit on a high perch to check for dangers such as hawks.

In summer, soon after arriving back in the melaleuca area in southern Tasmania, pairs begin to form and seek out nest sites. They nest in tree-hollows in trunks and holes in dead branches with pairs known to return to the same nest site for many years. When a female accepts a nest site, she will spend up to a week in the nest preparing it for her brood. During this time, while she incubates and when the chicks are small, the male feeds the female on the nest. When chicks are about ten days old, both parents forage and return to the nest to regurgitate food for the young.

A captive breeding program, which was initiated with birds recruited from a small wild population, has focussed on understanding the birds’ behaviour and dietary needs to boost the production of offspring. The preparation of birds for release into the wild has included teaching the birds to feed on the favoured wild plants utilised by the wild birds and fitness training for life in the wild.

Decline in extent and quality of coastal salt marsh habitat, because of development, agriculture and interference with water systems has impacted the species’ mainland wintering habitat. As they forage on the ground, they are likely to be predated by foxes and feral cats on the mainland. Lack of natural burns at the breeding site has impacted native food resources there. Infectious disease outbreaks are also a threat to their population.

Due to the efforts of a range of optimistic and dedicated conservationists the wild population has risen to over 80 birds returning to nest in December 2023. Annual releases have occurred for many years with birds released both at the breeding grounds in Tasmania and along the Victorian coastline. During the mainland release birds are fitted with a radio transmitter and their movements and survival tracked by dedicated volunteers. To assist the valuable breeding females, they have also been assisted in their migration by flying them back to their breeding grounds by aeroplane. Conservation staff have also provided many artificial nest boxes in their breeding grounds which the birds are using well.

A significant captive breeding program that includes a variety of partners and zoos now manage a captive population of over 500 birds.

Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
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Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Of the Latin genus Calyptorhynchus which in Greek means hidden beak, with the beak often well tucked into surrounding feathers. There are five subspecies occurring in eight discrete populations. The South-eastern sub-species occurring on the SA/VIC border area is the focus of a Birdlife Australia conservation recovery programme involving private landowners with habitat restoration and artificial nest boxes. Favoured seeds are those of eucalypts, casuarinas, acacias and banksias.

Blue and Gold Macaw
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Blue and Gold Macaw

Blue-and-gold macaws form close-knit groups in the wild. They are gregarious and will spend time together with others in their flock, playing, bathing, and hunting for edible fruit in the forest. Macaws tend to enjoy being with their flock mates but during the breeding season, they do partner off to raise their young. Macaws have zygodactylous feet, 2 toes that point forward and 2 that point backward, ideal for climbing and perching. Blue-and-gold macaws eat mainly nuts, seeds, and fruits. Their strong beaks are used to crush seeds and break open nut shells. Sometimes they consume clay from riverbanks to help them digest toxins from unripe seeds they have eaten. These birds communicate with each other by loud screaming and squawking calls to communicate a warning about predators, for attracting mates and to protect their territory. Body language is important e.g., if clicking and grinding the beak while raising the wings and with dilated pupils it is aggressive behaviour, it’s a warning sign to keep clear. Breeding pairs remain bonded for life and will return to the same tree hollow year after year to breed.

Brolga
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Brolga

The Brolga is found across tropical northern Australia, southwards through north-east and east central areas, as well as central New South Wales to western Victoria. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, often associated with wetlands but can occur in dry country too. They are omnivorous, feeding on both vegetable and animal matter. It is thought that brolgas mate for life, and pair bonds are strengthened during elaborate courtship displays, which involve much dancing, leaping, wing-flapping and loud trumpeting. An isolated territory is established and is vigorously defended by both partners.

Black-headed Caique
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Black-headed Caique

Pronounced the same as the cake we like to eat, the word “”caique”” comes from the indigenous Tupi language from Brazil, meaning “”aquatic bird.”” These birds enjoy bathing and they play, bounce and roll in wet leaves and rain while calling with excitement. This excitement is contagious for the flock and is why some call them clown parrots. Overconfident for their size, noisy flock members join to call frantically and chase away predators. Caique’s nest in a tree hollow which the pair will spend a few weeks preparing by chewing up the soft wood in the cavity that creates a soft bed of sawdust for the eggs and later the chicks. This sawdust also helps absorb the moisture from the chicks droppings.

Diamond Firetail
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Diamond Firetail

They occur from southeast Queensland, west of the dividing range to South Australia. Not uncommon in the Grampians region and have been recorded in our zoo grounds. They occur in open woodland and amongst scattered thickets where they feed on grass seeds on the ground. The Diamond Firetail builds a nest with green grass blades and stems and lines it with fine grasses and feathers. Both partners incubate the eggs and care for the young. The chicks are extremely vocal and can be heard from some distance. Diamond Firetails have been adversely affected by clearing for agriculture and urban development. Their conservation status is listed as vulnerable. The zoos population is thriving with a number of young raised every season.

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🌍World Meerkat Day🌍

Yesterday we celebrated World Meerkat day, these hilarious animals are native to Africa and live in groups called mobs. They all help out in protecting the family they take turns in what is called sentry duty where 1 or 2 meerkats will keep watch out for any predators while the rest of the mob is out and about and will alert them to the presence of any predators. 
You are able to come and meet our wild and wonderful meerkats during an encounter you will feed them have them on you lap and if you are lucky enough one may even jump on your head it is an experience you definitely won’t forget. 

Enjoy watching them with their ball pit but make sure you have your sound on. 

📸 keeper Darci 

#schoolholidays #hallsgapzoo #activities #visitmelbourne #whattodo # familyfun #meerkats
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Halls Gap will be GLOWING!! 🌟🌟🌟
From this weekend for July and August we will be taking part in the Halls Gap Glow Winter Festival.
An 8 week festival featuring art, wellbeing and adventures there are lots of activities planned so if you’ve been thinking about a visit now is the time. 

For our part in the 💫GLOW festival 💫we will have a scavenger hunt where you will learn about animals that..you guessed it ‘GLOW’ an interactive hunt that will be sure to keep the kids engaged. 

Visit https://www.glowhallsgap.com.au for more information on all the activities planned. 

#hallsgapzoo #glowfestival #grampians  #grampiansnationalpark
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✨✨✨FAST FACT FRIDAY✨✨✨

An absolute Aussie Icon, the Tasmanian Devil for this week’s facts. 

-Tasmanian devils have the strongest bite force relative to their size of any mammal in the world. It is even strong enough to bite through metal (think of that next time you struggle to eat a toblerone) 

-They give birth to up to 40 babies at once…but they only have 4 teats so it is a race for survival and the first 4 to make it will then spend the next 3 months in mums pouch before starting to venture out. 

-They are the largest carnivorous marsupial and they eat every part of their prey. 

Be sure to stop by the devil enclosure next time you are here and listen for their unique sounds. 

#tassiedevil #aussieanimals #hallsgapzoo #grampians #schoolholidays #activity #visitmelbourne #weekendsway
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So good to have rain again. Hopefully means we might have grass growing soon 🤞
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✨✨✨FAST FACT FRIDAY✨✨✨

This is Miss piggy our Pig Nosed Turtle

Did you know
🐽 Pig nosed turtles use their snout as a sensory organ to detect food in murky waters 

🐽They can weigh up to 30kgs and get to 70cms long 😱

🐽They have papillae on their throats which helps them absorb oxygen from the water 

#hallsgapzoo #grampians #pignoseturtle
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Step aside amateurs this empress shoots in RAW 👑

Caught Yesinia our Emperor Tamarin behind the lens today, taking photos like she works for National Geographic, she demanded a banana break and a final say on edits and while the lighting was perfect I did see a roll of the eyes when Presto our other emperor got distracted and ruined the shot. 
Can’t say for sure who hired her but the shots are stunning and that’s all that matters. 

#cameraqueen #behindthescenes #emperortamarin #hallsgapzoo #cutephotographer
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EMUS-
🪶After the female lays her eggs the male will then lay on the eggs for the next 8 weeks and will raise the babies without the female. 

🪶Emus cannot fly

🪶They are one of the largest birds standing at up to 2m tall 

🪶Eggs are a stunning dark green colour. 

You can see our male here laying on his eggs, he will barely eat or drink while he incubates his babies.
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🐾 We are open everyday this long weekend 🐾

Bring the whole family we are open from 10am-5pm everyday. Enjoy some keeper talks or book in for an up close encounter where you can pat a Rhino, feed a cheetah, have a red panda walk across your lap 🫢 Check out our website for a full list of encounters we offer. 
#longweekend #hallsgap #grampians #encounters #animalencounter
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Happy 2nd birthday to Messi and Knuckles our 2 gorgeous Tasmanian devils 🎉🎉
Keepers had a bit of fun making some birthday enrichment with some yummy smells for them to enjoy their day with. 

Come down and see our 2 newest devils, they have settled in quite well and have made themselves at home. 

📸 keeper Darci 

#hallsgapzoo #encounters #visitmelbourne #grampians
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It is Bearded Dragon week! 

🪵 The females will lay about 11-30 eggs per clutch and take up to 80 days to hatch.

🪵 They are omnivores feeding on plants, flowers, invertebrates and small lizards. 

🪵 Like most reptiles they rely on the sun to regulate their body temperature and when the winter comes around they go into ‘brumation’ which is similar to hibernation in mammals.
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Today is World Otter Day! There are 13 species of otters in the world and here at Halls Gap Zoo we have the Asian small clawed otters and even though they are the smallest species of otter they have the biggest personalities. You will see our girls playing in their pool, eating at their waterfall or mum paddy playing with her favourite rock.
Have you ever wanted to hold an otters hand? We are the only place in Victoria where you can do that during an encounter with our beautiful and cheeky girls. 

As Asian small clawed otters are classed as vulnerable in the wild we need to make sure we protect their habitats and keep our waterways clean so they can thrive in the wild and we are able to enjoy these incredible animals for generations to come. Visit our website to book book an encounter  #hallsgapzoo #worldotterday #protectwildlife #encounter
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