Re Roy Sonnenburg and Jill Dening's postings about aggressive Noisy
Honeyeaters.
We have been invaded by a single Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater. A beautiful and
well-coloured bird, now in his fifth day with us, 'tocking' all the time,
and occasionally breaking into an amazing song - a cross between Nosiy
Friarbird, Striped Honeyeater and even quite a bit of Restless Flycatcher.
Great fun for the first few days.
However, like Jill's Noisy Friarbird, the Spiny-cheeked has set up a
territory within which it will brook no other honeyeaters, resorting to
full-on body contact where necessary to preserve an exclusive feeding patch
20 to 30 metres in length, spending his time mostly in grevilleas, while
Brown and White-throated Honeyeaters sneak into the eremophilas and other
lower species.
It does however, feed on the ground along the driveway alongside a Willie
Wagtail, which it tolerates. If anything we are more surprised that the
Willie tolerates the Spiny-cheeked.
What we are waiting for now is the arrival of a contending Noisy Friarbird
to determine the WBA title! I'll report back if and when it happens.
Bill Jolly
"Abberton", Helidon, Qld
ph 07 46976111
fax 07 46976056
email:
Visit our website at: www.abberton.org
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