Andy,
Rather a bit late with this reply.......
Sunbird -
The habits and colour you describe do not fit a Sunbird. They are quite
obvious and never skittish, spend alot of time in open areas mostly
lower down and don't usually spend time in foliage/dense cover. They
often perch high in a tree on a conspicuous perch and are often found
about buildings and human habitation. Colour of upperparts is darkish
olive-brown or with a tinge of yellowish rather than soft/plain brown.
The Pizzey & Knight field guide is fairly spot on (old edition - new is
too dark). Slater's (new) and Simpson & Day are too pale. Morcombe is
far too pale and jizz is completely wrong. Further, it would be a long
way out of range but strange things do happen in the bird world. It is
more common in coastal lowlands rather than a bird of high altitudes.
I would agree with Mike and your intitial reaction - an immature Eastern
Spinebill - perhaps with some aberrant tendency ??
Hope that helps
Lloyd Nielsen,
PO Box 55,
Mt Molloy Qld 4871
Australia
Ph: 61 7 4094 1549
Fax: 61 7 4094 1372
Email:
Website: www.birdingaustralia.com.au
Andy Burton wrote:
While in the town of Glen Innes, on the northern Tablelands, at an
altitude of about 1050 metres, we found a mystery bird.
Claire Stevenson has suggested that the mystery bird of Glen Innes may be a
Sunbird.
I reckon you were right first time. It was an immature Eastern Spinebill. The
illustration in Pizzey and Knight matches your description.
Mike Carter
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is now on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message 'unsubscribe
birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
