The Mistletoebird.
Feb 28th, 2007 by Duncan
This brilliant little blue-black, white, and scarlet bird is Australia’s only member of the flowerpecker family, and I’ve found them frustrating to observe. Sometimes I seem to go for months without seeing one, and then one day they’ll be common. Today was the latter, Peter and I saw several and then, just before we turned to make our way back to the car, we saw a female drop down and land on a blackwood sapling. Up with the bins, and wow, there was a nest. The nest of the Mistletoebird is a beauty, Graham Pizzey described it perfectly, and I quote
“beautiful pear-shaped purse like baby’s bootee, with slit-like side-entrance; of plant-down or wool felted together, decorated with brownish to grey material that may include excreta of insect larvae, lichen or faded wattle blossom; hung from leafy twig, from few to 15 m or more high”
As we watched we saw the female go to the nest and cling at the entrance, we could see the orange bill of the youngster but she didn’t attempt to feed it.
We started taking photos from a distance, and slowly moved closer clicking away. I moved to within three metres, and was just about to take a close-up shot through the tele lens when the youngster popped up, took off and flew straight as an arrow to a clump of mistletoe in a tree fifteen metres away. We were a bit perturbed, but it was soon joined by the female and we breathed easier. On reflection we think that it was the last of the clutch to leave, and the female had been trying to entice it out when we first saw them, it was certainly ready to go, its flight was strong and direct and it immediately concealed itself in the mistletoe. In this district they breed late, in February or thereabouts, and the reason is simple, that’s when the mistletoe berries are in abundance. In this picture you can see the orange bill of the youngster.
The night before there was 85 mm of rain which flooded buildings everywhere and generally caused havoc, but the mistletoebirds’ nest came through it unscathed, wonderful in the true sense of the word. The quote is from my well thumbed first copy of Graham Pizzey’s Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, unsurpassed text.
Another bizarre and awesome design from the natural world. And, no joke, it looks uncannily like the felted clogs I am knitting at the moment (minus the lichen and excreta decorations perhaps!).
That’s easily rectified CM, just put them out in the garden under a tree for a few nights
A great little bird I love from earlier days on the ‘mainland’. Sadly, we don’t have them here in Tassie!
Thanks for this interesting blog.
I will be visiting Australia from the US for ten days this April and am considering staying in Gippsland for most of the time (ultimately I will be in Hobart for a whale disentanglement workshop). Is April a good time for the region? And is it possible to visit parks without renting a car?
Being mid Autumn the birding will be quieter Scott, but on the other hand it is a great time to see and hear the Superb Lyrebird. In Gippsland you’ll need a car to visit the parks.
A curious and wonderful little nest. I never cease to be amazed at the neat birds (and other creatures) in Australia.
Gorgeous little nest Bev, this one had suffered a bit from the rain though.
When we moved to our present 5 acre property some 22years ago we started planting hundreds of native plants. I was curious to find which species would be the first to use a plant or tree we had planted as a nesting site.
The Mistletoebird was one species I hadn’t even considered in my calculations. The nest was at about 1.4m in a very young eucalypt. A storm partially damaged the nest which was closer to our neighbour’s house than our house. She rescued the nest using an old stocking as a sling. The parents accepted this and raised the young successfully.
Since then, this species has had a special place in our hearts.
A nice story Trevor, thanks for sharing it.
That’s an amazing nest Duncan. What a lucky find! It really does look like a baby’s booty. I’m glad the fledgling seemed fine.
I enjoyed Trevor’s story
Yes Kerri, Trevor’s story had a great outcome.
Welcome to I and the Bird #44 Science and Serendipity, Words and Pictures
http://thegreenbelt.blogspot.com/2007/03/i-and-bird-44.html