India, July 24 -- A pesky native bird appeared on the podium almost on cue as organizers prepared to unveil a countdown clock marking six years to go until the 2032 Olympics.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner noted the timely white ibis in his welcoming remarks, joking with the crowd that it wouldn't be an event in Brisbane without the appearance of a "bin chicken," as the bird is colloquially known.

There's a small, humorous push locally for the ibis to become a mascot for the Brisbane Games rather than one of Australia's more widely known native animals such as the kangaroo or the koala. Schrinner didn't miss a beat and the bird moved off before the big digital Omega clock officially started counting down Thursday in the downtown Queen Stre...