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In mid June about 20kms SW of Mossman NQ our tour
group were able to observe feeding activity in a huge fruiting fig. The tree was
situated about 50 metres from dense rainforest which afforded a wonderful
opportunity to view and estimate the number of birds feeding at any one time.
Estimates were 25+ Barred Cuckoo-shrikes, 20+ Figbirds, 17+ Wompoo Fruit-Doves,
53+double-eyed Fig-parrots,70+ Silvereyes, 4 Tooth-billed Bowerbirds, 3 Spotted
Catbirds, 2+ Victoria's Riflebirds, 30+ Honeyeaters of five species, Maclaey's,
Bridled, Lewin"s, Yellow-spotted and Graceful.
The Silvereyes were taking sap
from the (fruit) stems after the fruit itself had been taken by the larger
species.
Two birders in our group, Lorna
Bloom from Sydney and Graham Goodall from Mossman shared my opinionthat we had
never observed so many birds feeding in one tree.
In the Wet Tropics native figs
generally fruit twice a year which is an unusual feature, however this proves to
be an advantage for local bird species.
Del. Richards, Fine Feather Tours, Mossman,
NQ.
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