Noisy tourists travelling north
THE annual migration of honeyeaters along the east coast of Australia is one of the many extraordinary features of local birdlife.
Late in April and through May, small flocks of yellowfaced and white-naped honeyeaters can be seen streaming through the coastal bushland.
Their destination appears to be the forests of flowering eucalypts in New South Wales and southern Queensland, where both nectar and insects are abundant.
Now they are back, and at the Bannockburn Bush reserve recently there were hundreds of the honeyeaters in the flowering yellow gums.
Bathing is an important part of their behaviour, and regardless of how cold the weather is, the birds need to splash in whatever pools and puddles are available.
The reason is that as they feed among the flowers, nectar and pollen accumulates on the feathers.
If this is not washed out, the plumage becomes clogged and less effective in retaining body warmth.
Some of the honeyeaters that are currently on their migratory flight will stay here for both species nest locally.
Others will keep heading south and west, as far as South Australia where they will spend summer.
Then next autumn they will experience the wanderlust of the species, and again we will see the noisy flocks as they pay us a fleeting visit. Wildlife information and questions can be sent to ppescott@optusnet.com.au