Birdphotography Weekly ~ Red Wattlebirds

The Red Wattlebirds, Anthochaera carunculata, have
dramatically increased in numbers as our garden has
started to mature.



With Grevilleas flowering for many months before
the Eucalyptus trees begin, food is plentiful.



They are quite large birds, up to 33cm, and can be
extremely frightening when dive bombing my poor
antique cat.



Swooping low over her back and loudly clicking
their beaks, they do not actually harm her, but
give her one h... of a fright.



The red wattles are clearly visible in these two photos.
Wattle birds have a very loud and grating raucous call,
a very unmusical sound indeed, and are not particularly
nice to smaller birds in their vicinity.

The bird was so intent on terrorising the cat at my feet,
that I was standing no more than 2' from it, snapping
away with my camera and it did not even notice me.



There is nothing like getting up close and personal
to catch all its antics.

This year they have had an absolute population exlposion

with a whole flock inhabiting the park. I have never seen

a flock of these birds before.

The vast numbers of Galahs we have had in other years seem

to have moved elsewhere. This year for the first time we have

had Crows and Wattlebirds vieing for nesting space with

the large numbers of resident Magpies.

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