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Little WattlebirdAlternate name(s): "Brush Wattlebird", "Mock Gillbird", "Mocker", "Mock Wattlebird", "Cookay-cock", "Biddyquock" Size: 27-31 cm Weight: 45-85 g |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Race "chrysoptera"
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
look here .
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Little Wattlebird
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Garden, Melbourne, VIC, April 2022]
Frontal view of a Little Wattlebird having a stretch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, July 2017]
Close-up near-frontal portrait of a Little Wattlebird
[Cape Byron, NSW, May 2014]
Near-frontal portrait of a Little Wattlebird
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, August 2015]
Near-frontal view of a Little Wattlebird with its bill dusted with
pollen(photo courtesy of
I. Duncan)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, VIC, July 2012]
Near-frontal view of a Little Wattlebird
(photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
[Point Plomer, Limeburners Creek, NSW, February 2009]
Near-lateral view of a Little Wattlebird
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[South West Rocks, NSW, July 2017]
Little Wattlebird checking whether all is safe! First to the right...
[Hat Head, NSW, January 2011]
... then to the left
[Hat Head, NSW, January 2011]
Near-lateral view of a Little Wattlebird
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Little Wattlebird looking backwards
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
Close-up lateral view of a Little Wattlebird in a coastal
banksia
[Point Plomer, Limeburners
Creek NP, NSW, October 2013]
Lateral view of a Little Wattlebird
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Garden, Melbourne, VIC, April 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a Little Wattlebird looking back at the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dundowran Beach, Hervey Bay, QLD, May 2018]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a Little Wattlebird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[South West Rocks, NSW, July 2017]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-frontal view of a Little Wattlebird; the remnant yellow
gape may indicate that this bird is still sub-adult
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, December 2017]
Race "tasmanica"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-lateral view of a Little Wattlebird (photo courtesy of
B. Hensen)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, March 2016]
Race "halmaturina"
No photos of this race are available yet. However, see below for sound recordings.
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial/ communal | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair/flock |
Little Wattlebirds are territorial, but can feed in areas with flowering trees in large numbers.
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Food, Diet |
Like many other honeyeaters, Little Wattlebirds do not exclusively feed on nectar, but use their sticky tongue to take insects too. They are also known to take fruit. For gathering nectar, especially in (near-)coastal regions, they have a preference for banksia flowers.
Little Wattlebird feasting on the flowers of a
grevillea
[Hat Head, NSW, January 2011]
Close-up view of a Little Wattlebird feeding on the nectar of a coastal
banksia
[Cape Byron, NSW, May 2014]
Close-up lateral view of a Little Wattlebird feeding on the nectar of a
coastal banksia
[Point Plomer, Limeburners
Creek NP, NSW, October 2013]
Lateral view of a Little Wattlebird feeding on the nectar of a
Grevillea robusta
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Metung, near Lakes Entrance, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]
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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.
litwatt_20140526.mp3 |
chrysoptera (NE NSW) |
Contact call? | © MD | |
litwatt_20150818.m4a |
chrysoptera (NE NSW) |
Contact calls? | © MD | |
litwatt_20150327_3.m4a |
chrysoptera (NE NSW) |
Territorial call? | © MD | |
whchhon_20150327_5.m4a |
chrysoptera (NE NSW) |
Fighting over food source (with White-cheeked Honeyeater) | © MD | |
whchhon_20150327_6.m4a |
chrysoptera (NE NSW) |
Fighting over food source (with White-cheeked Honeyeater) | © MD | |
litwatt_20150327.m4a |
chrysoptera (NE NSW) |
Various | © MD | |
litwatt_20150327_2.m4a |
chrysoptera (NE NSW) |
? | © MD | |
litwatt_20150327_4.m4a |
chrysoptera (NE NSW) |
? | © MD | |
litwatt_20150327_5.m4a |
chrysoptera (NE NSW) |
? | © MD | |
litwatt_jg_20160325.mp3 |
halmaturina (Kangaroo Island) |
Territorial call? | © JG |
More Little Wattlebird sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.