Bird Word: Ear Coverts
- Ear-coverts: the small feathers that cover the area of the ear, sometimes distinctively coloured.
I don’t seem to have a photo to illustrate this exactly except for the one below of the Zebra Finch. The ear coverts would be approximately where the orange cheek patch appears.
Zebra Finch
Great Birding Moments # 26 Red Browed Finch
Red Browed Finch
The Red Browed Finch is one of many beautiful species of finch found in Australia. It is always a delight to find a group of finches feeding on the grass, drinking from a pond or bird bath or visiting one’s garden. This species is found along the east coast through to much of Victoria and south eastern South Australia.
Red Browed Finch
Locally, we do not have them here in Murray Bridge but they are widespread in the nearby Adelaide Hills and part of the Adelaide metropolitan area. My most recent sighting of this delightful species was on a visit to the Cleland Wildlife Park. As I was about to enter one of the walk through aviaries I was entranced by a large group, perhaps as many as 30, Red Brows coming to a feeding tray. There was much excitement, because the feeding tray had just been replenished by the keeper.
On entering the aviary there were many more inside the cage. These were also quite used to people visiting their home so is was quite easy to take some good photos.
Related articles:
- Cleland Wildlife Park – photos of a visit to this lovely place in the Adelaide Hills.
Update: this photo above – and many other photos featured on this site – can now be purchased on a range of merchandise such as T-shirts, aprons, wall plaques, clocks and mugs. Go to my Trevor’s Photos site here.
New Holland Honeyeater v House Sparrow
Some time ago I wrote about bird aggression in the garden. On that occasion there was a dispute between our resident Willie Wagtail and a New Holland Honeyeater.
The New Holland Honeyeaters are currently feeding two chicks in a nest in our garden quite close to our house. They are constantly busy feeding their offspring.
Several days ago I noticed that a female House Sparrow ventured into the Melaleuca bush where the nest is located. The New Holland Honeyeater sent it off pronto, chasing it vigorously around the garden. Both landed on the ground and the honeyeater confronted the sparrow.
The response from the House Sparrow was something I had never seen this species display before; it raised its tail in a fan-like manner. This bold move seemed to work because the honeyeater backed off and soon resumed tending to its young.
It happened too quickly for me to photograph.
Related articles:
European Goldfinch
European Goldfinch
Finches are delightful little birds.
We have a great array of finches native to Australia, from the somewhat plain through to the amazing colours of the Gouldian Finch. There are also several introduced species including the ubiquitous House Sparrow, the rarer Tree Sparrow, European Greenfinch and the European Goldfinch.
This latter species has spread throughout south eastern Australia roughly south of a line from Adelaide to Sydney. Here in my home town of Murray Bridge they are present but not in large numbers. Their distribution around here seems to be a little sporadic. One reliable spot to see Goldfinches is near the local Post Office. I had an excellent view of one sitting on a power line, its tinkling call carrying quite a distance.
Our home is nearly five kilometres from the post office and I have recorded this species on only a few occasions over the years. It has never been resident in our garden, just an irregular visitor. That could be about to change. Over recent weeks I have seen two or three on an almost daily basis. They could very well be colonising this area. There certainly is sufficient feed around for them to survive here.
Sparrows by the Bushful
Late this aftenoon I was in the main street of Murray Bridge, my home town. I was waiting to cross the street at the lights. It was almost on sunset, the last rays of the sun just visible. My attention was drawn to a nearby bush, part of the tree and bush plantings along the footpaths.
This bush – I’m not sure what species it was – had a roar of bird twitterings coming from it. Even above the noise of homeward bound traffic, the call was unmistakeable: House Sparrows. And not just a couple. It seemed like there were several hundred sheltering in the single bush, getting ready to settle down to another frosty night.
I didn’t see any birds – just heard them. And around the base of the bush the footpath was painted white with their droppings.