Taronga Zoo in Sydney
Taronga Zoo in Sydney enjoys a magnificent harbourside setting and provides a green haven for 350 species of animal. It is Australia’s largest zoo, established in 1906 on the 28 hectare site. For people interested in birds it is a chance to see rare species. The walk-through aviaries: the Australian Rainforest Aviary, Blue Mountain Bushwalk and Rainforest Trail, are all excellent places to take close up photos, although high ISO settings are needed for the often low light.
This Superb Fruit-Dove was in the Rainforest Trail aviary, together with Wompoo Fruit-Doves, Double-eyed Fig-Parrots and a number of birds from other lands. Picture taken at 1/125 second, f /5.0, ISO 2000 at 240 mm with the Canon EF 100-400 IS II USM lens.
Sydney Harbour provides the backdrop for the wonderful Free-Flight Bird Show and this Barn Owl poses against the city buildings across the harbour. A highlight of the show is the flight of the Andean Condor, soaring close above the heads of the audience.
Another Bird Show participant, the Black-breasted Buzzard, demonstrates how to break an egg with a stone - a technique used by Buzzards in the wild.
The zoo has a small group of Fiordland Penguins consisting of injured birds that have been brought to the zoo. These regular visitors to Australia breed in Fiordland, New Zealand.