Doorn-doorn (Djiraly)[1] or Yoondoordoo (Noongar LOTE)[1] is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range (i.e. its range extends across all or most of the world). Diurnal means the bird is active during the day, as opposed to the bird being nocturnal meaning it is active at night and crepuscular meaning it is active only at dawn and dusk. It is a large bird, reaching more than 60 cm in length and 180 cm across the wings. It is brown on the upper parts and predominantly greyish on the head and under parts.
Doorn-doorn is a large raptor, called in English the Osprey, or more specifically the Eastern Osprey, also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk. Its range in Western Australia is from Esperance to Cape Keraudren, at the Southern end of Eighty Mile Beach - actually 140 Miles long in the Kimberley region. Its scientific name is Pandion haliaetus with four sub-species, with the Eastern Osprey (Pandion cicristatus) in Australasia and New Caledonia.[2]
Doorn-doorn is found on the coast and in terrestrial wetlands of tropical and temperate Australia and off-shore islands, occasionally ranging inland along rivers, though mainly in the north of the country.[3]
The Ngoolor/Djilyiyan (White bellied Sea-eagle) is another fish eating raptor, but is much larger and soars with up-swept wings, rather than the sharply bowed wings of Doorn-doorn.
Doorn-doorn Waarnk - Stories about the Osprey
editNgiyan waarnk - References
edit- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Djerap - Noongar Birds". Batchelor Press. 2014. ISBN 978 1 74131 292 8
- ↑ "Pandion cristatus — Eastern Osprey". Species Profile and Threats Database. Australian Government, Dept of Environment and Energy. Retrieved 19 March 2018
- ↑ "Eastern Osprey". birdlife Australia. Retrieved 19 March 2018