Saw an interesting behaviour yesterday (25/11) involving Double-eyed
Fig-parrots. In an almost leafless Ficus leptoclada a female was making
a churing noise rather like the begging sound of a lorikeet but lower and
much slower. A male approached very closely and after a few
short head movements proceeded to feed her. He then preened himself and her.
After half a minute of this they preened mutually for about 20 seconds. He flew
off and continued to feed himself while she preened and occasionally made the
same sound. I then heard a few times the call typically made while they are
flying but very softly. I was unsure as to which bird was making the call. They
left together in the usual direct noisy manner.
The Fig-parrots have been collecting Eucalypt
tips for a few weeks now so I am curious about this interesting behaviour. Are
they just a bit slow, did their first attempt fail or does this kind of behavior
continue after bonding and breeding are established?
For anyone up this way and chasing these birds,
the Yungaburra School has fruiting figs with them feeding in the morning,
evening and when classes are inside. Also present are Superb Fruit-doves, Barred
Cuckoo-shrikes, the odd Channel-billed Cuckoo and other
fructivores.
Today I observed Pacific Bazas on a nest at Tolga. The landholder tells me
they have nested in the same spot three years in a row. One bird had darker
feathers around the vent but I could not pick any difference in the throat
colour.
Mammals continue to show themselves in record numbers while I am out and
about at night except for Spectacled Flying fox. Coppery Brushtail Possums have
had an extended breeding season this year and there is still the odd randy male
around whereas last year all testes were shrunken by this time. Despite the few
showers of rain we have had frogs and reptiles are still lying low.
Regards,
Alan
