With grevillea, hakea and eucalypts flowering in abundance, different species of honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) can be found feeding on their nectar. With thin curved bills and brush-like tongues, they’re probing flowers and lapping up large quantities of sweet liquid at a time.
Most members of diverse family of passerine birds can be found in Australia and New Guinea, with the Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata) or Djoongong the largest species in Western Australia.
The distinctive red-pink wattles or caruncles have lend this bird its common name, and as one of the noisiest inhabitants of our urban bushland they’re hard to miss when chasing away other nectar-feeding birds as lorikeets and parrots.
What an interesting looking bird. Appropriately named 🙂
It certainly is, Ed – it goes by many names actually; chock, what’s o’clock, mutton bird, gilly warbler, to name just a few!
Great portrait!
Thanks Victor 😀 They normally swoop around nervously, but this one quietly posed!
Great photos!! I love the dark, warm tones in this bird!
Thanks Matthew 😀
So pretty!