Assault on Hair by Birds (was Attack by Friarbird).

[brian fleming <>]

The late Australian poet Douglas Stewart wrote a poem called "Nesting 
Time" describing a White-eared Honeyeater which pulled out his  and his 
young daughter's hair. Worth reading.
Anthea Fleming



On 15/09/2010 10:54 PM, Syd Curtis wrote:
> Spot on, Greg.
>
> There is a photo titled "White-eared honeyeater gathering hair for
> nest-lining" at page 87 in "Bird Wonders of Australia", by Alec Chisholm
> (Angus&  Robertson, 1948).
>
> The photo carries the credit: "Self-photo: K. A. Hindwood".  And Chisholm
> devotes Chapter XI - "Birds that steal human hair" to discussing this
> practice of that species.
>
> Cheers
>
> Syd
>
>
>
>
> > From: "Greg&  Val Clancy"<>
> > Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:05:19 +1000
> > To: "Stephen Ambrose"<>, "'Tony Russell'"
> > <>, "'Gary Wright'"<>, "'Del
> > Richards'"<>, "'birding aus'"
> > <>
> > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Assault on Hair by Birds (was Attack by Friarbird).
> >
> > White-eared Honeyeaters are well known for landing on people's heads and
> > pulling out hair to be used in their nests.  I haven't seen it myself but
> > have seen photos  taken, I think by the late Keith Hindwood, in the Sydney
> > area of this practice.
> >
> > I presume that the Friarbird was doing the same thing.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Greg Clancy
> > Ecologist
> > Coutts Crossing
> > NSW