I know one is not meant to interfere with nature, but if it was my
garden I would be knocking down all webs that might trap the sunbird
while she is feeding nestlings.
This week my neighbour bought my attention to his grim find of a
female Olive-backed Sunbird hanging in the web of a Golden Orb Spider
at the entrance to his car shed. She was very still in the hope of not
being noticed however it was too late to be thinking that way.
As we took stock of the situation the very large female spider
moved toward the sunbird feeling along the web as she went. When
within the sunbird's reach the bird briefly grabbed the front leg of
the spider which then retreated to a safer distance.
Within a few minutes my neighbour and I released the sunbird from
the web. She has two young in a nest on the next door verandah. So the
outcome is that we still have three sunbirds and one Golden Orb Spider.
However upon retreaval she was still securely "tied up" by the
elastic strands of the web.
This is the fourth species that I have records of in these spider's
webs, the others being Scarlet Honeyeater, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
and Red-browed Firetail.
` I find it interesting that the sunbird defended itself against the
spider which it would have been familiar with. It would be like a man
kicking an approaching five metre crocodile in the nose!
Del. Richards, Fine Feather Tours, Mossman, NQ.
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