Well spotted

One of the prettiest birds around is the Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus), pictured left. Though not endangered it is uncommon to see them up close. Pardalotes feed on lerp, the honeydew/sugar houses made by the nymphs of the psyllid insect, click HERE for more information. Lerp are found on new eucalypt leaves and so pardalotes spend a lot of time in the upper branches of gum trees.

Interestingly they build their nests in chambers at the end of tunnels that they excavate in the ground. The chambers are lined with shredded bark.  In nature the tunnels can be found in riverbanks or shaded slopes but pardalotes have also been seen digging in piles of sand on building sites. A simple nesting box can be made with an enclosed wooden box to which is attached a piece of black poly pipe to simulate a tunnel entrance. But any cosy nook is fair game.

The pardalote pictured above with its beak full of seed constructed a nest in the sub-floor insulation under a nearby house. That was well spotted.