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Saturday, 16 July 2011

The New Holland Honeyeater- a native bird in my garden

The New Holland honeyeater is a small bird that is endemic to southern Australia. Although it is often known as a bird of heathland and forest, it is fairly common in my garden. It is an active feeder. The main ingredient in its diet is the nectar of flowers and it will busily dart from flower to flower to drink this high-energy food. It will also take fruit, insects and spiders. It will feed alone, but apparently gathers in quite large groups (normally). Its cup-shaped nest is made of bark and grasses that are bound together with spiderwebs. The nest is lined with soft material and placed in bushes or trees from ground level to 6 metres up. Both males and females feed the chicks. Pairs may raise two or three broods in a year. The breeding season is in any time of the year, but is mainly during the summer and winter. 2-3 eggs are laid and incubated for 18 days. In southern NSW, the similar white-cheeked honeyeater can be distinguished from this species by its much more prominent, larger, white cheeks. OK, enough talk, let's get on with the pictures!




1 comment:

  1. So, for those who wondered what a New Holland honeyeater looks like close-up, enjoy!

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