Spinebill

Eastern Spinebills are exquisite little birds to watch as they dance around the correas.

I have a correa reflexa growing in a large pot just the other side of my study window and I’m often delighted by the many nectar and insect seeking birds that visit the plant.

Eastern Spinebills are the most regular visitor. When they are feeding they are too close for the minimum focal distance of my camera – though perhaps I should try using my phone! The bird baths are further away so I’m sometimes able to capture a shot when they’ve been bathing though I don’t often see them looking quite this fluffy.

Their bills are perfectly adapted for feeding on long, tubular blossoms. They weigh 11g and are about 16cm from the tip of their long bill to the end of their tail – that doesn’t leave much room for ‘bird’ in between. Their call is a distinct, rapid piping which is higher in pitch and faster than an Eastern Yellow Robin (which will only help if you know the call of the robin!)

Update the Parliamentary Inquiry into Native Bird Shooting in Victoria closed on Monday 8 May 2023 and has received about 9000 submissions; making it the largest Inquiry in Victoria’s history. At the time of writing 1125 submissions have been made public with more are being added to the website each business day. The Select Committee is scheduled to share their findings on 31 August 2023. I will keep you posted, and I will keep hoping.

The South Australian Inquiry on Hunting Native Birds closes at midnight tonight – if you’d like to help South Australian birds please send an email to: scnativebirds@parliament.sa.gov.au

Happy birding, Kim

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