Little wattlebird

The little wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera), also known as the brush wattlebird, is a passerine bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. It is found in coastal and sub-coastal south-eastern Australia.

Taxonomy

The little wattlebird was formally described by ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the binomial name Merops chrysoptera.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The species is now placed in the genus Anthochaera that was introduced by Nicholas Aylward Vigors and Thomas Horsfield in 1827.<ref>Template:Cite journal The title page gives the year as 1826 but the issue was published in 1827.</ref><ref name=ioc>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The generic name Anthochaera derives from the Ancient Greek anthos 'flower, bloom' and khairō 'enjoy'; the specific epithet chrysoptera derives from Ancient Greek khrysos 'gold' and pteron 'wing'.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The International Ornithologists' Union recognise three subspecies:<ref name=ioc/>

• A. c. chrysoptera (Latham, 1801) – eastern and southeastern Australia
• A. c. halmaturina (Mathews, 1912) – Kangaroo Island (South Australia)
• A. c. tasmanica (Mathews, 1912) – Tasmania

The western wattlebird (A. lunulata) was at one time considered as the subspecies A. c. lunulata.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

File:Little wattlebird on eucalypt.jpg

Little wattlebird on eucalypt, Victoria, Australia

Description

The little wattlebird is a medium to large honeyeater, but the smallest wattlebird.<ref name="birdsinbackyards">Birds in Backyards - Little Wattlebird</ref> The appearance is similar to the yellow wattlebird and the red wattlebird.<ref name="pizzey" /> The little wattlebird lacks the wattles, which characterise other members of the genus. Juveniles are duller with less streaking and have a browner eye.<ref name="birdsinbackyards" />

Calls include a strident cookay-cok, a raucous fetch the gun, a mellow guttural yekkop, yekkop and many squeaky, musical lilting notes. The alarm call is a kwock or shnairt!.<ref name="pizzey" />

Distribution and habitat

The little wattlebird is found in banksia/eucalypt woodlands, heathlands, tea-tree scrub, sandplain-heaths, lantana thickets, wild tobacco, parks and gardens.<ref name="pizzey" />

Behaviour

File:Anthochaera chrysoptera feeding nestlings.jpg

style }}

Breeding

Breeding takes place from June to December.<ref name="pizzey" /> The female wattlebird generally constructs the nest,<ref name="birdsinbackyards" /> which is a loose, untidy cup of twigs, lined with shredded bark, and placed from 1 to 10 m high in the fork of a banksia, tea-tree or eucalypt sapling.<ref name="pizzey">Template:Cite book</ref> 1-2 eggs are laid and may be spotted red-brown, purplish-red or salmon-pink in colour.<ref name="pizzey" /> The female incubates the eggs alone but both parents care for the young chicks.<ref name="birdsinbackyards" />

Feeding

Little wattlebirds feed on nectar obtained with a long, brush-tipped tongue, adapted for probing deep into flowers.<ref name="birdsinbackyards" /> They also feed on insects, berries, and some seeds.<ref name="birdsinbackyards" /> Most feeding is done perched, but some insects are caught in mid-air. Birds may feed alone or in groups.<ref name="birdsinbackyards" />

External links

• Recordings of little wattlebird from Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology Macaulay Library

• Recordings of little wattlebird from Xen-canto sound archive

• Images of little wattlebird from Graeme Chapman's photo library