Ave Lira de Alberto

The Ave Lira de Alberto is a huge brown bird with an extremely long tail. These birds are very common in Australia. The male’s tails are shaped spectacularly like a lyre. The curved outer tail feathers can’t be seen in their young and the female of the species. These birds reside in rainforests where they can forage for food.

They are also known for mimicking other birds, other animals, and even artificial sounds from engines of cars. These birds can be found dwelling in moist forests and can be seen roosting in trees during nighttime. They are sedentary and can barely cross large distances. Too bad they can’t call a moving company to help them out—that would have made things easier!

Cane Toads

Cane toads are tough creatures and ravenous predators. They hunt insects and feast on small prey. Though they are native to South and Central America, these cane toads can also be found in northern Australia. It was in 1945 when the species was first spotted in Brisbane. By the 1980s, they spread across Queensland. In 2009, cane toads also crossed the Western Australian borders and are often unintentionally transported to new areas through loads of timber. It seems like nature has its own moving company!

These animals need to be constantly moisturized in order to survive. They absorb water through their stomach’s skin. These critters can also die from dehydration. They have no known predators and the toads can breed all year round.

Illawarra flame tree

The flame tree can be found around Australia’s east coast and is relatively common in subtropical rainforests found on the south coast of New South Wales and Cape York. The history of these trees go way back. It is said that the inner bark of flame trees was utilized by Aboriginal Australians to make fishing nets, traps, string.

It was also a source of food because of its protein-packed seeds, which have the taste of raw peanuts. We give credit to the natives for discovering many uses for this plant. During summertime, the trees show-off a marvelous color. The growth of this tree is known to be erratic in nature. There are years when flowers may appear for some branches and others were it might be bare.

Wallaby

The wallaby is a member of the kangaroo family. There are approximately 30 various species of wallabies. Unlike the kangaroos, wallabies are smaller in size. These critters are spread throughout Australia and its neighboring islands. They are also found in New Zealand.  Wallabies are small to medium in size and can weigh somewhere between 2 to 24 kilograms.

Their tails are used for balance and are also used as support, while their hind legs are for hopping and distance jumping. With their powerful legs, these creatures don’t need to worry about gas to get to places. Males also use their hind legs when in combat. Wallabies prefer staying in wooded and secluded places. Some smaller species are also known to dwell in forests.

Sugar Gliders

Native to Australia, Tasmania, Papua New Guinea, and other parts of Indonesia, sugar gliders have gained recognition for being adorable. These marsupials live approximately 10 to 15 years in captivity but are best left in the wild. These cute critters are five to six inches long, with their tails adding another six inches.

They have furry, stretchy, thin, membranes that expand from their wrists to down to their ankles. With this, they are able to glide 150 feet in the air. Sugar gliders are known for their huge eyes that give them an extra degree of sight. Being nocturnal, they hunt for prey at night. Both male and female sugar gliders also have a variety of scent glands, soft fur, and sharp teeth.

Dingoes

Dingoes gained notoriety for being one of Australia’s largest predators. For farmers in Australia, dingoes are considered to be their number one enemy since they enjoy preying on livestock. Local sheep owners have decided to use “guard donkeys” as a means to defend against them. These donkeys help scare away the dingoes—more effectively than the average home security system. The varying Australian climate possibly altered the number of dingo varieties that can be found in different places around the continent.

Alpine dingoes with light cream coats are the rarest kind, while the more common desert dingoes are reddish and have sand-colored coats. They are usually compact in size compared to the other types. Dingoes also have superior visual senses and can even rotate their heads approximately 180 degrees.

Sydney Rock Orchid

The Sydney Rock Orchid is described as one of the planet’s most fascinating orchids since it produces the biggest display blooms for any orchid species. It can endure harsh living conditions and bear almost any kind of temperature degree without sustaining damages. It can be seen in the wild but would fit in a home garden. Adding a beautiful orchid is a fun addition if you’re doing home improvement, including roof repair.

Open, bright, and breezy conditions help this plant’s mass blooming. Its root systems are blanketed with moist mosses and ferns. It is also known to be fast-growing and is easy to tend to. This type of plant grows into huge clumps and can be found growing on top or around rocks in bushlands.

Grevillea

Native to Australia, the Grevillea is known for its various sizes that include small to medium shrubs, trees, and ground clovers. Its colors range from yellow, orange, pink to red. Grevilleas adore the sun but they can also thrive in partly shady spots. These plants are not too keen on having wet feet either. They do not like it when their roots are disrupted so it is best to handle it with utmost care.

This plant has been in cultivation since the early 1980s. It has olive-green leaves that are approximately 100 to 150 mm long and are deeply lobed. Unlike similar species, they are tender to touch and not prickly at all. It can tolerate drought and can handle moderate to a freezing degree of temperature.

Pigface

There are 6 species of the Pigface or Angular Pigface plant in Australia, which can be found along the coastline. It has upright leafy branches and comes with thick, fleshy leaves. From October to January, the plant blooms with deep pink-purple daisy-like flowers. It also has a red-purple berry fruit, which was consumed by the Aboriginal people as a source of food.  They used to roast its leaves as a salt replacement.

The fruit’s flesh is said to taste just like salty apples. The plant is also known for its medicinal properties. Its leaves can be used as a pain reliever. Explorers from Europe get credit for discovering its use as a treatment against scurvy. This plant thrives in sand dune fronts.

Birds Nest Fern

Well-known in the world of cultivation, the birds nest fern is an epiphytic fern that has huge elliptical-shaped fronds, which create a beautiful nest shaped plant. These fronds spread around 3 meters in diameter. This plant can develop into a massive size and make for a great garden plant that can provide shade.

The underside spores found in this plant grow in parallel rows.  They can easily thrive on rocks, in trees, and grow best in damp soil. These ferns are also great for containers. Though these plants prefer a lot of moisture, they are not prone to root rot at all. The birds nest fern can even withstand frost. Through the warmer months, they can be nourished with a half-strength liquid fertilizer.