Correas create a honeypot for spinebills
THE correas are flowering in profusion in our garden in Belmont at present.
In the local bushland, heath is making a colour splash in the dreary landscape.
Now is the time that the pretty little eastern spinebill comes to visit.
Correas, heath, fuchsias and similar plants that are winter- flowering suit the spinebills perfectly.
With their long, narrow beaks they are well adapted to taking the nectar from the tubular flowers.
But they are winter visitors to the suburbs, and soon they will head back to the forests and bushlands where they will spend the warmer months, tending their nests.
When we first moved into Belmont a long, long time ago we planted a range of correas, knowing them to be attractive to the honeyeater tribe.
Every year since then, spinebills have come to visit the plants and enjoy a winter splash in the bird bath.
They are vulnerable to predation by cats and find safety in our feline-free garden.
The nest they build is a compact cup made from soft plant stems and lined with wool or feathers.
Once the eggs hatch, the parents feed the nestlings with a mixed diet of insects and nectar.
Insects are a vital part of the food eaten by all of the honeyeater clan, so pesticides rarely feature in our garden.
Many birds have nicknames — in the case of the spinebill it is cobblers’awl since the long curved beak is just the shape of the leather-piercing needle.
The birds are found all along the east coast of Australia while across the Nullabor there is the western species. Wildlife information and questions can be sent to ppescott@optus net.com.au