Spotted Pardalotes are arguably Australia’s most beautiful little bird.
I was hoping to write lots about these amazing little birds, one of the smallest Australian birds and certainly one of the most beautiful. But I needed to speak with a friend tonight, and that was followed by issues with Lightroom that took a while to solve. So, my apologies.
These birds are seriously tiny, weighing just 8g, the same as eight paperclips. You could hold one in your hand and not know it was there. They are about 9cm in length.
Although the facial markings of the male are bolder the females are still incredibly beautiful.
It’s been a long time since I’ve taken my camera into the garden instead of being busy on the mower, picking up sticks, weeding and clearing drains – it was blissful to be out there again, surrounded with birdsong.
The calendars arrived yesterday and will be heading to their new homes in batches over the next few days. If you missed out, and live in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, they are available from Candlebark Community Nursery in Mooroolbark, Kuranga Native Nursery in Mount Evelyn and Collins Books in Croydon.
Happy birding, Kim
~ Facebook page Kim Wormald – lirralirra – 10K+ followers
~ Facebook group Ethical Bird Photography
~ Etsy – Kim Wormald lirralirra
~ Browse prints and gifts Lirralirra Shop or contact me directly
Mother Nature has painted a beautiful picture on this gorgeous, incredibly tiny bird.
Words and pictures celebrate all that is magical about the Spotted Pardalote. Keep looking and you may be blessed with seeing a bird that is so tiny and yet, as Francis and Kim attest, is absolutely perfect!
Spotted Pardalote by Francis Duggan
Uncommon birds don’t see them every day
And so confiding in their own quiet way
Perhaps Australia’s tiniest little birds
And beautiful for them the perfect word.
Of human kind they show so little fear
And they don’t fly off if human standing near
Human company they do seem to enjoy
They let you get so close then off they fly.
They love to show themselves or so ‘twould seem
And they perch on low branch where they can be seen
And they never try to hide from watcher’s eye
A thing of beauty is a thing of joy.
Had I the genius of a Nature poet
I might describe the spotted pardalote
With small white spots on back and wings and head
And yellow, dark and gray and fawn and red.
They hunt for insects, flies and little bees
On branches and leaves of gum and wattle trees
The fairest of pardalote family
A bird I know but not so often see.
How lovely Barbara! It’s definitely a bird that deserves to have a poem written about it. I’ll have to do some research on the poet and see what else they’ve written. Thanks for sharing ‘Spotted Pardalote’