Spotted Pardalotes
13 Comments »11th April, 2006; Category: Birds, Garden birds, Honeyeaters, Murray Bridge, Pardalotes
While working in the garden yesterday I was aware of several Spotted Pardalotes (Pardalotus punctatus) in the mallee trees near me. It is always a delight to hear their “pip pip” calls all around us. They are a resident, breeding species in our garden here in Murray Bridge, South Australia. Sometimes their calls are like the squeaking of a rusty gate, so my wife refers to them as the “Squeaky Gate Pardalote.” A subspecies (xanthopygus) is the Yellow Rumped Pardalote. Their rump is a really bright yellow! This subspecies is also present in this area.
Spotted Pardalote with nesting material in beak
Distribution and Breeding
The Spotted Pardalote is found in suitable habitat throughout southern and eastern Australia. These habitats include woodlands, gardens, parks, scrubs, forests and mallee. I have recorded it breeding in our garden, both in a burrow in the sand and in the hollow of a tree. They have also been known to nest in the gaps of brickwork.
Close encounter
One individual I saw yesterday was in the branches just above where I was doing some weeding. He came down closer and closer to me as I made soft kissing noises trying to attract his attention. Eventually he was within a metre of my head – of course I didn’t have my camera with me! Both of us received a sudden jolt when a honeyeater – presumably a New Holland Honeyeater – came rocketing past, snapping its beak at the pardalote who retreated rapidly into the foliage of a nearby tree.
Striated Pardalote
The other species of Pardalote resident in our garden is the Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus).
Brown Headed Honeyeaters
While we were having lunch today a flock of about 7 Brown Headed Honeyeaters came to our bird bath for a drink. They stayed long enough for a drink but didn’t attempt to bathe. I was quick enough to get the camera out and get a few photos. This is the first time I have been successful photographing this species.
Brown-headed Honeyeater
Birds in Backyards
This evening I discovered a really useful and interesting website called Birds in Backyards. I had heard about this program before but I can’t recall visiting their website before.
Bird ID
One useful aspect of the site is the bird identification help called a “Bird Finder”. It prompts you to answer several simple questions about the bird you saw and then shows you the bird and gives heaps of information about the bird, its distribution, habitat and even includes an MP3 file which plays the call of the bird. It’s really neat.
Bird Records
The web site enables you to submit your bird records from your own backyard. The form is easy to fill out and takes only several minutes for each survey. Surveys can be daily (over a 20 minute period), weekly or yearly. Drop down menus make selection easy. It’s a really user friendly site. One has to become a member first, but joining takes only a minute or two and is free.
Aims of the Program
The following is quoted from the site itself:
Birds in Backyards is a research, education and conservation program focusing on birds and the urban environment. The program was developed in response to the reduction of bird species living in built up areas, the rapid expansion of these areas and the consequent loss of habitat. Initially a Birds Australia program, Birds in Backyards became a program of both Birds Australia and the Australian Museum in February 2005, when a partnership was formed.
To visit the web site click here.
Orange Bellied Parrot
I have never seen an Orange Bellied Parrot.
This is despite their range extending to quite close to where I live. The reason is simple; this species is critically endangered and only about 180 individuals exist. Add to that their migratory habits – they only spend a few months each year in our area. They are found during the cooler months (April – September) along the south east coast of South Australia from the Coorong to the Victorian south coast. In the warmer months (October – March) they migrate to breed in Tasmania.
Special Protection
This species has received plenty of special attention over recent years. Attempts have been made to protect its habitat, especially their breeding grounds. Another landmark decision occurred this week when a proposal for a wind farm in Victoria was rejected.
To read more click here.
To read more about this beautiful bird and to see photos of it go to the Birds Australia site (click here).ÂÂ
Birds of Monarto Zoological Park, Murray Bridge
Yesterday I wrote about the birds contained in the collection of the Adelaide Zoo. The birds of Monarto Zoological Park are a totally different matter. This park is of the open range type of zoo – in fact, it is a park – not a zoo in the traditional sense. It is a place we visit often, for two reasons. It is only a few kilometres – about a ten minute drive – from our home. Secondly, I am a Life Member – so it only costs me the petrol to get in.
Visitor Centre
Upon entering the grounds of the zoo at Monarto, one has to drive several kilometres to the car park next to the Visitor Centre. This facility contains an information centre, shop and a wonderful restaurant. From here one is able to go for guided walks through the mallee scrubland that forms a very important part of the local habitat. Some of this scrubland is old growth mallee, something that is quite rare in these parts.
Bus Tours
Most visitors to Monarto Zoo book into one of the Bus Tours of the park. Each tour has a volunteer guide on board. Each specially trained guide is a mine of information about the birds and animals of the park. The tours usually take about an hour and they take one through different “habitats” of the park with great views of the animals up close. For example, one gets excellent views of giraffe, zebra, lions, cheetah, painted dogs and a range of other animals from around the world.
Birds of Monarto Zoo
Adelaide Zoo’s strength is in its vast collection of birds in aviaries. Monarto Zoo is quite different. There is a small enclosure with some Mallee Fowl in it. This is part of their breeding programme for this endangered species. They also have a large enclosure some several hectares in size for their ostriches. All other birds are free ranging, that is, they are part of the natural environment. Watching for birds while on the guided walks or the bus tour is therefore very rewarding; one never knows what one is going to see.
My Bird List
The most obvious bird in the park is the Emu. One is easily able to get good views of this species in many parts of the zoo. Australian Magpies, Galahs, Little Ravens, Masked Lapwings and Red Wattlebirds and Welcome Swallows are also very common. Along the watercourses (which often dry up in summer) I have seen Pacific Black Duck, Black Fronted Dotterels and Magpie Larks.
Scrubland Birds
In the mallee scrubland it is easy to see Singing Honeyeaters, White Plumed Honeyeaters, Spiney Cheeked Honeyeaters, Crested Pigeons, Rufous and Golden Whistlers, Grey Shrike Thrush, Willie Wagtails and Yellow Rumped Thornbills. Striated and Yellow Rumped Pardalotes can been heard calling from the trees all around. On several occasions I have even recorded Flame Robins and Peaceful Doves. Common Bronzewing Pigeons can also been seen and families of White Winged Choughs and White Browed Babblers are very conspicuous.
Parrots
I’ve already mentioned the most common parrot in the park, the Galah. Other species present include Purple Crowned Lorikeets, Red Rumped Parrot and Mallee Ringnecks. Adelaide Rosellas, Cockateil and Budgerigars do occur in the district but I haven’t personally recorded them inside the park boundaries. The same could be said of Elegant Parrots, a species I have seen only a few kilometres south of the park.
Birds of Prey
The only bird of prey I have recorded is the Brown Falcon. It is quite possible to see many other species that are common in the district. These include Wedge Tailed Eagles, Black Shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestral, Australian Hobby, Black Kite, Little Eagle, Spotted Harrier, Brown Goshawk and Collared Sparrowhawk. Barn Owls, Boobook Owls and Tawny Frogmouths are all present nearby and probably occur in the park too.
This is just a sample of what can be seen within the boundaries of the park. A full list would probably reach a hundred or more different species. Some, like the Rainbow Bee-eater, are seasonal (summer) visitors while others are occasional visitors.