Little Wattle Bird by stuart83

Photography • Animals • posted on Jul 22, 2007

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Description

Thanks for looking, comments/ critique Welcome Stuart Description The Little Wattlebird is a medium to large honeyeater, but is the smallest of the wattlebirds. It is mostly dark grey-brown above, with faint white shafts on each of the feathers. The underparts are grey and are heavily streaked with white. The streaks are finer around the throat, becoming more blotched on the sides of the belly. In flight, there is a large rufous patch in the wings. The eye is blue-grey. Birds of Western Australia have a red eye and a silver patch on the side of the throat; these are sometimes regarded as a different species. The sexes are similar. Young Little Wattlebirds resemble the adults, but are duller, have less streaking and a have a browner eye. Similar species The larger Red Wattlebird, Anthochaera carunculata, has a yellow belly patch, red wattles on its cheeks and lacks rufous in the wings. Only one other wattlebird species is found in Australia, the Yellow Wattlebird, A. paradoxa, of Tasmania. It is the largest of the three wattlebirds, and indeed the largest of Australia's honeyeaters. It has large yellow wattles hanging from the cheeks. Distribution Little Wattlebirds are found throughout south-eastern and south-western Australia and Tasmania. Habitat Little Wattlebirds prefer the drier and often scrubby, habitats, such as banksia heaths, forests, woodlands and urban parks and gardens. Feeding As with other honeyeaters, Little Wattlebirds feed on nectar, which is obtained using a long, brush-tipped tongue, specially adapted to probing deep into flowers. Other food includes insects, flowers, berries and some seeds. Most feeding is done while perched, but some insects are caught in mid-air. Birds may feed alone or in small to large groups. Breeding If conditions are suitable as many as three broods may be raised in a year. The female Little Wattlebird normally constructs the nest, which is a large cup of twigs and grass, lined with soft materials, such as feathers and wool. The nest may be placed in a range of places from the ground up to about 15m. The female also incubates the eggs alone. Both sexes care for the young chicks.

Comments (18)

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erlandpil

4:29AM | Sun, 22 July 2007

I love all 3 picturte erland

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Littlejock

4:33AM | Sun, 22 July 2007

Wonderful details yo have here. Thank you for the text. Excellent work

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Onslow

4:33AM | Sun, 22 July 2007

Well captured nature shots and info.

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A_Sunbeam

4:56AM | Sun, 22 July 2007

Great shot! Nice pose and sharp detail.

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UOja

5:25AM | Sun, 22 July 2007

Very beautiful capture!

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mark.spooner

5:34AM | Sun, 22 July 2007

A lovely set of captures!

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danob

6:12AM | Sun, 22 July 2007

First class in every way a super threesome as well! A fav for sure!

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barq2790

6:19AM | Sun, 22 July 2007

Good shot-- we used to have a tame one of these guys who'd hop in the back door and sit in the kitchen waiting for a handout. One day he brought all his friends and we put a stop to that !!!

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