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Dollarbirds - Feeding Note

To: "" <>
Subject: Dollarbirds - Feeding Note
From: Graeme Stevens <>
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 10:41:54 +1100
I was at Irrawong Reserve, Warriewood, Sydney NSW.  last Sunday am for a 
Pittwater Natural Heritage Assoc. guided birdwalk.
There is quite a cicada hatch at present, so seeing the birds move was about 
the only option at times because you sure couldn't hear 'em.
 
The Dollarbirds had arrived and were in residence as expected and several pairs 
were showing well.
 
Now one often finds discarded cicadas with the just the head, legs and wings 
remaining and minus the soft parts - and I had assumed this may be the feeding 
technique for Dollarbirds as well as the other birds that take them - so I 
watched a couple of acrobatic "catches" with interest.  On returning to a perch 
with a cicada, on all occasions the catch was turned and swallowed whole, head 
first.
 
The "Broad-billed Roller" tag seems very appropriate - they were large cicadas!
 
Graeme Stevens 
 
 
                                          
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