Mistletoe Bird

Description:

Male: black red and white. Female: pastel/lighter colors of the male. Adults about 10cm in body length.

Habitat:

Nesting in tall tree in university carpark. Nest about 5m above the ground.

Notes:

Nest: very pliable, silky and strong. It is held together by spider web, with bits and pieces woven into it. It expands with the growing babies. Both parents were very attentive, keeping a constant flow of food to their young. When the parents were away the young would huddled down inside, but when the parents were on their way back the three babies would be ready with their mouths open and calling. Even if the parents approached from behind the nest, the babies still knew they were in the vicinity. Nothing could be heard from the parents, no chirps, no loud wing beats, so I don't know how the babies knew. When the babies were ready to purge, they poked their rear end out of the nest. I was amazed how much was expelled from one small bird. Two days later, the fledglings arose from the nest. The parents remain close by to ensure their babies were safe.