Hi folks,
Many thanks for the contributions that came in on this topic, I
gained several new observations and some further insights into an
amazingly little-known behaviour. It seems likely that gerygones,
thornbills etc get their moisture from their diet and rarely drink.
From the 63 species in the family, I now have reports of just 4
drinking, which is from the good folks of Birding Aus and an
extensive literature search when it dawned on me that this was
largely undocumented in HANZAB (now I know why!) Anthea Fleming
suggested that maybe they get some moisture from dew when gleaning,
which is something i had not thought about and would be worth looking
out for. I have summarised what i now know as follows:
Drinking has been little reported for Acanthizids and is very poorly
known; White-browed Scrubwrens have been noted drinking from water
troughs in mallee heath and gardens. Brown, Yellow-rumped and
Striated Thornbills have been noted drinking from shallow bowls on
hot days but not during cooler ones, and again it is likely their
diet usually supplies adequate moisture. None of the whiteface
species have been reported drinking, perhaps their seed diet gives
them enough moisture. Nothing is noted about Gerygones drinking and
it may be they obtain enough moisture from arthropod prey to obviate
the necessity. Perhaps during gleaning the birds can get moisture
from dew too, though this has not been reported (?or specifically
looked for) it may be a possibility.
I also dug out the following about bathing, which a number of
people mentioned when replying about the drinking
question: Bathing is poorly known for the group as a whole
and unknown for most species, though Brown, Yellow-rumped and
Striated Thornbills and White-browed Scrubwrens are reported to bathe
regularly at sprinklers and bird baths. Pilotbirds have been noted
bathing in shallow pools, and when raining fly through wet vegetation
raising feathers and calling, which may be some sort of feather
maintenance but could be display related.
My thanks for the replies.
Good birding
Phil Gregory
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birding-aus.blogspot.com
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