Took the kids to Canberra a few years back and we did the usual tours,
including the Parliament Houses.
I had always assumed that the reason we had and Emu and Kangaroo on our coat of
arms was due to their iconic Australian status.
However, this isn’t the case, these two animals were chosen, because the
selectors thought that neither could walk backwards and so would be logical to
represent a forward marching country.
I think asking Australian birders may not the best place to start wondering
what an Australian bird emblem should be, unless we can offer behavioural
traits or characteristics that might identify with what might be Australian
(whatever that is).
Non-birders or overseas visitors might give us a better perception of what is
iconic in the minds of everyday Australians and is inherently Australian in the
minds of those who see us from a far.
Allan Richardson
> On 22 Mar 2015, at 12:07 am, Philip Veerman <> wrote:
>
> Yes, indeed. A few years ago I wrote a letter to the "National Aboriginal
> Community Controlled Health Organisation" in which I politely chastised them
> for using a very obvious image of the Bald Eagle as their emblem. They
> quickly wrote a rude letter back to me, basically telling me to butt out,
> that my opinions and advice about birds and symbolism was irrelevant to
> them. A few months later, they changed it to a Wedge-tailed Eagle..........
> http://www.naccho.org.au/ I didn't get any thanks...........
>
> My problem with Wedge-tailed Eagle as a national bird, is that it is so
> close to the Golden Eagle, that is the national bird of so many other
> places. Plus of course the really impressive Philippine Eagle & Harpy Eagle
> of other countries. It is best to be something really distinctive, even in a
> simple piece of artwork.
>
> Philip
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Birding-Aus On Behalf Of
> John Harris
> Sent: Saturday, 21 March 2015 9:31 PM
> To: John Tongue
> Cc:
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] National Bird
>
>
> If a Wedgie was to be the national bird, we may as well become the 52 state
> of the USA (considering many consider Puerto Rico as the 51st)..... The Bald
> Eagle is so often used in graphics, logos etc for Australian designs... May
> designers cannot tell the difference???
>
> *Yours in all things* "*GREEN"*
>
> *John Harris BASc, GDipEd*
> *Croydon, Vic*
> * Director - Wildlife Experiences Pty LtdPrincipal Ecologist/Zoologist*
> *Nature Photographer* *Wildlife Guide*
> <>*
> *0409090955*
>
> *President, Field Naturalists Club of Victoria* *(www.fncv.org.au
> <http://www.fncv.org.au/>)*
>
>
>
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