on garden birds in Sydney.



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Fantail, also feeds in the air, but chiefly takes toll of small moths

and gnats that live near the ground. From the vantage point of a

rail or a tree, he swoops down on anything that dies into his range

of vision, or he makes friends with the animals at pasture, and snaps

up insects that are disturbed by them ; and one even visits the lions

in their large enclosure in the Taronga Park, and catches the dies

that are attracted by the ration of meat, and not infrequently takes

them off the body of the king of beasts. Has anyone ever seen

a Wagtail quite still? I think not; they often, like the Nightingale

at home, chatter half the night, as if impatient for the day when

they can again commence their hunting.


The Yellow-rumped Tit is a very important little bird in his

own estimation, always twittering and bobbing about, betraying

his presence to all and sundry. He shares the responsibility with

the Magpie Lark of looking after the lawns; and what a cunning

little nest-builder he is, with a clearly visible false nest above and

the cleverly hidden real nest below, evidently so made in order to

deceive the Cuckoo. He loves to weave string into the nest.


The Diamond Bird, or Pardalote, which must not be

confounded with the much larger Diamond Sparrow, is one of our

prettiest little assistants. The plaintive call notes, one high and

one low, uttered by the cock and the hen birds respectively, are often

heard, but the bird is not so easy to see, as it is generally hidden

among the leaves of a eucalyptus tree, among which they find their

food. The nest is in a hole in a sloping bank, and one wonders how

such a tiny bird can excavate such a burrow.


The Striated Tit, not so often seen, but still quite common,

lives generally at the top of the trees. It is coloured dull olive,

much like the leaves and boughs in which it dwells; it is a busy

bird, always on the move, and few insects will escape its vigilance.


The Silver-eye is the most common of our garden birds, and

also the best singer. To listen to its pretty song on a summer’s

moi’ning is a delight. Although it will take toll of soft fruits when

they are ripe, it more than makes atonement by keeping the trees

free from insect pests all the rest of the year. It can often be seen

searching every leaf and shred of bark, and vigorously drawing forth

its luckless prey.



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