Pardalotes

Pardalotes

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Extract from the book ‘AUSTRALIAN BIRDS’
by Robin Hill:

ISBN 17
001704 4 Copyright 1967 Thomas Nelson (Australia)
Ltd.

SPOTTED PARDALOTES, Pardalotus

punctatus, are distributed throughout most
of eastern Australia
down to south-eastern South Australia
and Tasmania.
There is a separate population in Western Australia
from about Moora to the Stirling Ranges. Usually in
pairs, but sometimes in small parties, these tiny
birds largely frequent the outer foliage of tall
trees. Observation.of them is fairly difficult, even
through binoculars, as they often appear as little
more than silhouettes.

Their varied diet is obtained from the leaves and
twigs. Scale insects are a favourite food; thrips,
lerps, spiders, moths and many others are also taken.
Thus the pardalotes are useful in taking many insects
injurious to the trees.

A somewhat ventriloquial and monotonous call note is
uttered, sounding like ‘slee-ep, ba-bee’, high-pitched
on the first two syllables, the second two a semi-tone
lower.

A nest of bark-fibres and similar material is placed
at the end of a tunnel that the birds have excavated,
usually in a bank, but sometimes in the flat ground.
Nests may also be found in a stump-hole or a hole in a
tree. Both sexes help in the tunnel excavation, which
may be up to two feet long, and the subsequent
building, brooding and feeding duties are also shared.
Four white eggs are laid, and the breeding season is
from August to December.

If
you have a sighting in Beaumaris to report, please
e-mail
the place, date and number of birds to
info@bcs.asn.au

See the July 2001
report of the sighting of a large flock
around the top of
one of the remaining tall River Red
Gums in Anita Street, Beaumaris.

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