Where do honeyeaters nest?
One of my recent readers asked the question: “Where do honeyeaters nest?” Well – that wasn’t the exact question but I have broadened the question somewhat. Gary was after information about New Holland Honeyeaters especially. He wanted to plant species native to his home state of Western Australia to encourage the honeyeaters in his garden.
My wife and I always applaud and encourage people who want to move from exotic to Australian species. Many of our endemic plant species are well adapted to drought conditions and many parts of Australia are in severe drought at present. If we want attractive gardens we need to consider drought tolerant plants. My wife has written a series of articles on drought tolerant plants on her blog Mallee Native Plant Nursery.
Getting back to Gary’s question, the choice of plants for nesting sites for honeyeaters is really wide. Many honeyeaters, species such as the Red Wattlebirds, will use a range of eucalypt trees for nesting sites. They particularly like the mallee forms but will use smaller bushes as well. Many species enjoy the relative safety of banksia bushes and trees; the dense foliage provides a screen from the eyes of predators. Having a ready supply of nectar from the flowers is an added bonus.
Banksia flower
Honeyeaters also like the dense foliage of the following species: acacias, eremophilas, callistomens, hakeas and melaleucas. Most of these produce an excellent food source for the birds while they are nesting. They also attract insects which also provide a valuable food source. This is also true of many other Australian plants so the choice for gardeners is very wide.
Callistemon flowers
Related articles:
- New Holland Honeyeater nest – with a photo.
- Red Wattlebirds nesting – with photos
- Babies, the Birds and the Bees – with links to many other articles.
How to be a lazy birder part 1
Birding can be exhausting, so today I start a series for The Lazy Birder.
- Be careful not to exert yourself doing this activity.
- Gently pick up your binoculars and hang them by the strap around your neck so you don’t strain your arms too much.
- Gently stroll outside into the garden.
- Find a comfortable place to sit.
- Watch the birds as they come to you.
- If you are really energetic, you may write down a list of the birds you see (optional).
- Go to sleep if you get drowsy – the birds will still be there when you wake.
- Happy birding.
Bird Murder in the Garden
A few days ago I glanced at the bird bath just outside our sun room. An Australian Magpie was busily dismembering a baby bird in full view of the house. There wasn’t much of it left so I couldn’t tell what the magpie had captured for its lunch.
Many species have been breeding in recent weeks so I guess that they are easy pickings. I guess this is the natural state of things – survival and all that. Still – it was a rather grizzly sight. The bird in question then scurried under a nearby bush to “finish off” his lunch out of my view.
I didn’t take a photo – so you’ve been spared the gory details!
Related articles:
- Why do baby birds disappear? An article I wrote recently in response to a reader’s question.
- Babies, the birds and the bees – about birds breeding in our garden.
- Baby Magpie – magpies breeding in out garden.
Birds in the heat
Juvenile Striated Pardalote
Over the last three days we have had a severe burst of extremely hot days. On Friday the temperature reached 45C (113F) under our front veranda. It was no better on Saturday when it again reached 45C. Yesterday was a little “cooler” as it only reached 40C (104F). Much cooler weather moved through the state last night and today’s forecast is for 22C (72F). What a contrast!
Juvenile Striated Pardalote
Probably the most frequent visitors to our garden bird baths were the pardalotes, both the Striated (as shown in the photos) and the Spotted. At times there were five or six of them. When I took the hose to replenish the water supply, several of them waited politely not more than a metre away. Pity I didn’t have the camera on me. The above photos were taken a few minutes later. I sat in the shade of the veranda, but the oppressive heat in the wind was too much and I retreated to air-conditioned comfort after about five minutes.
All during the heat there was a constant parade of birds taking advantage of the water I supplied. These include:
- Striated Pardalote
- Spotted Pardalote
- House Sparrow
- Red Wattlebird
- New Holland Honeyeater
- Brown Headed Honeyeater
- White Plumed Honeyeater
- Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater
- Singing Honeyeater
- Crested Pigeon
- Spotted Turtledove
- Australian Magpie
- Australian Magpie Lark
- Willie Wagtail
Despite the oppressive heat we had very few bushfires in South Australia over the last few days, in stark contrast to the situation in Victoria (click here and here).
Baby Willie Wagtails – at last
Willie Wagtail
I have been puzzled throughout the spring about the absence of a Willie Wagtail nest in our garden. The resident adults have been flitting around all through the spring with no sign of a nest anywhere. Everyone else seemed to be busy raising their families. There have been nests everywhere and more recently baby birds calling to be fed all over the garden.
Willie Wagtail
But not the Willie Wagtails. They usually nest within about twenty metres from the house for some reason. There are many suitable trees further a field but they insist on keeping close to home – our home that is. Despite thorough searches I have been unable to locate a nest this spring. Two days ago I observed both adults giving one of our Australian Magpies a very hard time, swooping and harassing the magpie until it flew away. A-ha I thought. There must be a nest somewhere nearby – but where?
Willie Wagtail (baby)
Today we discovered two lovely recently fledged baby Willie Wagtails keeping their parents busy bringing them food. Whenever we approached too close the parents would tell us off in a very noisy manner. Keep away they seemed to be saying.
Despite even more searching I still didn’t find that nest.
Related articles:
- Why do baby birds disappear – an article about baby bird deaths.
- Babies, the birds and the bees – a list of species nesting in our garden this year.
Updated Nov 2013.