Sulmtaler Sulmtaler The Sulmtaler is an Austrian breed of domestic chicken. It originates in the Sulmtal, the valley of the Sulm river, in southern Styria, in the south-east of Austria, and takes its name from that valley. Like the Altsteirer, the Sulmtaler derives from the country chickens raised in Styria, particularly in the Kainachtal, the Lassnitztal, the Sulmtal and the Saggautal. In the second half of the nineteenth century these were subjected to massive cross-breeding with imported Cochin, Dorking and Houdan stock to create heavy meat birds for fattening. In about 1900 some breeders brought together the small remaining stock of
Red wattlebird a horizontal "appeasement posture" side-on to the aggressor in which it lowers its head, flutters its wings and edges closer to the other bird. As well as smaller bird species, red wattlebirds can mob and chase larger species such as the Australian magpie ("Gymnorhina tibicen"), butcherbirds and currawongs, the black-faced cuckooshrike ("Coracina novaehollandiae"), the olive-backed oriole ("Oriolus sagittatus"), crows and ravens, the laughing kookaburra ("Dacelo novaeguineae") and even small raptors like the collared sparrowhawk ("Accipiter cirrocephalus"). The red wattlebird breeds throughout its range, with nesting taking place between July and December, though occasionally outside these months if conditions are favourable.