Tag Archives: Lace Monitor

Video – Magpie vs Goanna

Yesterday I posted a short video showing a Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo trying to fend off a Monitor from it’s nest.

Well that cheeky Monitor is at it again!  This time up a different tree near our chook pens and, since the chookies are inaccessible, he was after a Magpies nest of eggs.

In the short upcoming video, you will see how the Magpies defense differs from that of the Cockatoo.  While both squawk as loudly as they can, the Magpie goes for a different attack and constantly swoops the Monitor at speed, trying to hit it with its pointy beak.  Of course this is a dangerous game; whereas the Cockatoo attacked the tail, the Magpie attacks the head and you can hear the audible snapping of the Monitors jaw as it tries to bite the Magpie on each one of its strafing runs.

So watch and enjoy the second video of ‘Battle of the Natives’: Magpie vs Goanna:

 

Sadly the Magpie was not as successful as the Cockatoo.  Later on in the afternoon my kids found two regurgitated eggs at the base of the tree – after all that fighting the Monitor couldn’t even keep the eggs down.

 

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Video – Cockatoo vs Goanna

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Video – Cockatoo vs Goanna

Living on a farm can be fun in a scary kind of way sometimes.  Not all our native creatures are always friendly, and sometimes they really don’t get along with each other, seeing each other as rivals or, more often, dinner.

Two years ago on my old farm I witnessed a Redback Spider killing a Blind Snake (I was later informed by several leading Australian reptile experts it was in fact a Lerista Skink that the spider was chowing down on).  That was quite the sight to see!

Yesterday on our new farm I saw two other native Australian creatures in conflict that I never expected to be enemies.  These were in fact a Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo and a Lace Monitor.

The Monitor, a solid 2 meters in length, had been sniffing around our duck and chook pens looking for some eggy snacks, but when I approached quickly scaled a nearby tree, where he camped for a while.

​But his belly must still have been rumbling because soon he caught the scent of the nest of eggs the Cockatoo had several branches above and decided to slowly sneak his way up for a snack.

This short video shows the Cockatoo taking issue with this.  Whilst not silly enough to attack the Monitor head on, the Cockatoo did its best to ward this raider off.  It did this by shrieking loudly, flaring its wings and crest and attempting to bite the Monitors tail with his beak.  He eventually does a quick fly-by and gives it his best shot.

So enjoy this ‘Battle of the Natives’ in this video: Cockatoo vs Goanna.

 

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