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Spotted PardaloteAlternate name(s): "Diamond-bird", "Ground Dyke", "Diamond Dyke", "Ground Diamond", "Yellow-rumped Pardalote", "Yellow-tailed Pardalote", "(Spotted) Diamond Dyke" ![]() Size: 8-10 cm Weight: 6-12 g |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
look here .
Race "punctatus"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal view of a male Spotted Pardalote checking out the photographer;
the bird was extremely curious and came to check out the photographer,
approaching to a distance of less than 2.5 m
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, August 2006]
Close-up frontal view of a male Spotted Pardalote - note the white spots;
the bird was extremely curious and came to check out the photographer,
approaching to a distance of less than 2.5 m
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, August 2015]
Frontal view of a male Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, October 2021]
Close-up near-frontal view of a male Spotted Pardalote;
the bird was extremely curious and came to check out the photographer,
approaching to a distance of less than 2.5 m
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, August 2015]
Near-frontal view of a male Spotted Pardalote; here the chestnut rump
characteristic of race "punctatus" is visible
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cunningham's Gap, QLD, June 2017]
Near-lateral view of a male Spotted Pardalote
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, November 2006]
Lateral view of a male Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, September 2021]
Lateral view of the same male Spotted Pardalote
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, August 2006]
Lateral view of a male Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, September 2021]
Similar view, taken in optimal light conditions, which brings
out the brilliance of the Spotted Pardalote's colours
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, August 2006]
Close-up lateral view of a male Spotted Pardalote
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2019]
Lateral/ventral view of a male Spotted Pardalote
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, August 2006]
The Spotted Pardalote was so relaxed that it decided to preen itself -
here an interesting view into the plumage from underneath
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, August 2006]
Dorsal view of a male Spotted Pardalote
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2019]
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FEMALE |
Close-up frontal view of a female Spotted Pardalote - note the yellow spots;
the bird was extremely curious and came to check out the photographer,
approaching to a distance of less than 2.5 m
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, August 2015]
The same female Spotted Pardalote as shown above, now seen preening
;
the bird was extremely curious and came to check out the photographer,
approaching to a distance of less than 2.5 m
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, August 2015]
Frontal view of a female Spotted Pardalote looking sideways
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2019]
Near-frontal view of a female Spotted Pardalote (photo courtesy
of R. Druce)
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, July 2012]
Near-lateral view of a female Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, September 2021]
Near-lateral view of a female Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, September 2021]
Close-up lateral view of a female Spotted Pardalote
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2019]
Lateral view of a female Spotted Pardalote
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW , July 2012]
Close-up lateral view of a female Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, May 2019]
Lateral view of a preening female Spotted Pardalote
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW , July 2012]
Lateral view of a preening female Spotted Pardalote
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW , July 2012]
Close-up lateral view of a female Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW , July 2012]
Close-up lateral/ventral view of a female Spotted Pardalote
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, August 2019]
Ventral view of a female Spotted Pardalote
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW , July 2012]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of a juvenile Spotted Pardalote approaching a waterhole
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, March 2009]
Lateral view of a fledgling Spotted Pardalote on the ground
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, October 2016]
Close-up lateral view of a fledgling Spotted Pardalote
[Dandry AA,
NSW, October 2013]
Race "xanthophyge"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal view of a male Spotted Pardalote carrying food for its
brood (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lane Poole Reserve, near Dwellingup, WA, October 2017]
Near-frontal view of a male Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lane Poole Reserve, near Dwellingup, WA, October 2017]
Near-lateral view of a male Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lane Poole Reserve, near Dwellingup, WA, October 2017]
Lateral view of a male Spotted Pardalote; note the yellow rump
with chestnut lower margin typical for this race (photo courtesy of
J. Greaves)
[Lane Poole Reserve, near Dwellingup, WA, October 2017]
Ventral view of a male Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lane Poole Reserve, near Dwellingup, WA, October 2017]
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FEMALE |
Lateral view of a female Spotted Pardalote just outside its
nest burrow (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lane Poole Reserve, near Dwellingup, WA, October 2017]
Race "millitaris"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Lateral/ventral view of a Spotted Pardalote
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Mareeba, QLD, August 2020]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Sep - Jan | Eggs: 3 - 4 | Incubation period: 14 - 16 days | Fledging age: ca. 21 - 28 days |
Nest building: Female & male | Incubation: Female & male | Dependent care: Female & male |
Proof positive that both male and female Spotted Pardalotes
contribute to building their nest: Male on the left, female
on the right (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Durikai SF, near Warwick, QLD, August 2017]
Dorsal view of a male Spotted Pardalote carrying nesting material
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Durikai SF, near Warwick, QLD, August 2017]
Near-frontal view of a female Spotted Pardalote carrying nesting material
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Durikai SF, near Warwick, QLD, August 2017]
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Tunnel with basket | Material: Sandy soil, bark strips, grass | Height above ground: N/A |
Entrance to a Spotted Pardalote's nest dug out of the soft sand lining
a gully that is part of a creek which only floods after extreme
rainfall
[Rocky Creek, NSW, September 2008]
Spotted Pardalote's nest dug out of soft sand (photo courtesy of
R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2015]
This Spotted Pardalote burrow was found when its occupants were
still lining the nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
Spotted Pardalote carrying lining material to its nest (photo courtesy
of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
Different entrance to a Spotted Pardalote's nest; in this case the
birds took advantage of a fallen tree's root system for protection -
the entrance is the cavity on the right (see photo below)
[Pilliga NP,
NSW, August 2013]
Spotted Pardalote entering the tunnel to its nest with nesting material
[Pilliga NP,
NSW, August 2013]
Pair of Spotted Pardalotes collecting nesting material
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, August 2008]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size:16 x 13 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair |
Amongst Spotted Pardalotes, the males are definitely more curious than the females. Only when taking first photos of a female together with a male we noticed that previously we had always seen males that had come to check us out.
Curious male Spotted Pardalote raising its crown to form a small crest
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, May 2013]
Female Spotted Pardalote fluttering its wings; we have seen
the behaviour in other species, where it signified a readiness
to mate... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, May 2019]
... and the female Spotted Pardalote got a response, too;
only it was an unexpected one, from a (male?)
Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, May 2019]
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Food, Diet |
Spotted Pardalotes forage through the foliage of trees for small insects. They feed mostly on psyllids and lerps.
Female Spotted Pardalote taking a
psyllid
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW , July 2012]
Upside-down female Spotted Pardalote looking for prey
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW , July 2012]
Female Spotted Pardalote taking a small spider
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW , July 2021]
Close-up lateral view of a female Spotted Pardalote at a waterhole
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2019]
Together with Striated Pardalotes, in a bunch of about 20-25 birds, Spotted Pardalotes were the first observed by us to visit a waterhole before sunrise. Other bird species followed later.
Three of a bunch of up to 20 Spotted Pardalotes visiting a
local waterhole prior to sunrise
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, January 2009]
Spotted Pardalote drinking from a muddy waterhole
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, November 2013]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
spopard_20140612.m4a |
punctatus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls | © MD | |
spopard_20180707.m4a |
punctatus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls (long sequence) | © MD | |
spopard_20220528.m4a |
punctatus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls (Q&A) | © MD | |
spopard_20230726.mp3 |
punctatus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls (Q&A) | © MD |
More Spotted Pardalote sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.