Christmas boobook lores and throat, yellow eyes, legs and feet. It is approximately 26–29 cm in length and 130-190 grams in weight with the female slightly larger than the male. The double-noted hoot, "boo-book," has a clucking quality with the second note usually lower in pitch. The begging call of juveniles is a high-pitched trill. Vocalisations are similar to those described for the Southern Boobook "N. novaeseelandiae" and include individual variation in advertisement calls. This may be useful in estimating owl densities as radio-tracking can be impractical in some terrains. A recording, courtesy of Richard Hill and Owl Pages http://www.owlpages.com/sounds/Ninox-natalis-2.mp3 Its natural
Australasian grebe are about three-quarters grown. Initially the young will ride on the parents back, hidden between their slightly raised wings. When the chicks begin to dive and feed themselves (at about 10 weeks) the mother may leave too, although mothers have been known to return soon after, apparently to check on the chicks. The parents are very protective and will try to drive away other water birds (ducks, herons) by confronting them and flapping their wings wildly or using their wings to splash water at the intruders. Australasian grebe The Australasian grebe ("Tachybaptus novaehollandiae") is a small waterbird common on fresh