Little Wattlebird
Anthochaera chrysoptera
Other Names: Little Brush Wattlebird
Family: Meliphagidae (Honeyeaters, 74 species in Australia)
Size: 26-33 cm
Distribution: Within about 50-100 km of the coast of NSW, VIC, lower QLD and Eastern SA, also Eastern TAS.
Status: Common
Habitat: Woodland, heath, scrub, likes Banksia, parks and gardens
References: Simpson and Day, Reader's Digest
The Little Wattlebird is common in parts of Sydney and many other areas. It is found in the Lower Blue Mountains but not in the Upper Blue Mountains (the Red Wattlebird is found in the Upper Mountains). It looks a lot like Red Wattlebird, but without the red flap of skin under its eye (the "wattle"), and it is a darker colour overall with more distinct white spots/stripes.
It has a very distinctive call, a bit like an old wooden cuckoo-clock (it imitates the ticking of the clock and also the cuckoo sound), which sometimes can go on for hours at a time.
Photo: Blaxland, Blue Mountains NSW
Artwork: John Gould, 'The Birds of Australia', 1848. Original Scanned Image.
Some Birdwatching Resources
|
NEW: Birds of Australia: A Photographic Guide, by Iain Campbell, Sam Woods, Nick Leseberg, Geoff Jones (Photographer). I bought this field guide recently (June 2020). As the name suggests, it's got photographs rather than line drawings. They are very high quality, clear photos. I've got so many field guides now, they have to be really good before I buy them (I got it from a physical book shop, so I was able to look through it thoroughly before deciding whether or not to get it).
From the publisher:
Australia is home to a spectacular diversity of birdlife, from parrots and penguins to emus and vibrant passerines. Birds of Australia covers all 714 species of resident birds and regularly occurring migrants and features more than 1,100 stunning color photographs, including many photos of subspecies and plumage variations never before seen in a field guide. Detailed facing-page species accounts describe key identification features such as size, plumage, distribution, behavior, and voice. This one-of-a-kind guide also provides extensive habitat descriptions with a large number of accompanying photos. The text relies on the very latest IOC taxonomy and the distribution maps incorporate the most current mapping data, making this the most up-to-date guide to Australian birds.
- Covers all 714 species of resident birds and regularly occurring migrants
-
Features more than 1,100 stunning color photos
-
Includes facing-page species accounts, habitat descriptions, and distribution maps
-
The ideal photographic guide for beginners and seasoned birders alike
NOTE: This is the only field guide for Australian birds that I've seen which lists the size of each bird in both centimetres and inches. So if you're much more familiar with inches than centimetres, this would be the best Australian bird field guide to get just for that reason.
Purchase from Australia (Booktopia)
Purchase from Australia (Angus & Robertson)
Purchase from Australia (The Nile)
Purchase from Australia (Fishpond)
Purchase from Amazon.com (USA Site)
Purchase from Amazon.com.au (Australian Site)
| See AlsoAustralian Bird Field Guides
Return to Australian Birds
Return to Site Map
Share This Page
australia birds guide
Content is copyright © Survival.ark.au 2005-2024 All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use. Definitely read the disclaimer before trying anything from this website, especially including the practices and skills. This website uses affiliate links – this doesn't cost you any more, but I get a commission on purchases made through the website. As an Amazon Associate I earn similarly from qualifying purchases.
|
