"Philip Veerman in his "Canberra Birds: a report on the first 18 years of
the garden bird survey". He suggests they have to leave Canberra for the
winter because of their lack of head feathers -
exposing them to cold."
Well, that's a first for me!
I'm sure there are more practical reasons for leaving honeyeaters
Canberra, probably the same reason most Yellow-faced Honeyeaters leave the
high country and migrate north.
In regards lack of head feathers, I suggest it's all about feeding in
blossom with high volumes of nectar. The knob, and the associated
depressions either side of the knob, are also wonderful collectors of
pollen ensuring cross pollination as birds move between plants.
Ten or so years ago I was collecting pollen samples from birds captured in
coastal heathland on the NSW north coast. Pollen collected in and around
the nostrils of most birds and over the head an chin feathers but
friarbirds would have a virtual reservoir of yellow pollen at the base of
their knob.
Hope that helps.
David Geering
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