February, 1934 The Queensland Naturalist 
15 
Many migratory wading birds from overseas spend 
the summer about the twenty miles of waterway between 
Bribie Island and Caloundra, Curlews,: Whimbrels, God- 
wits, Dotterels, Golden Plover, Turnstone, Sand-pipers, 
Greenshanks are the most usual ; but there are others that 
I have failed to identify. Some few waders seem to stay 
all the year round, but by April the majority have left 
Queensland waters. Quite often the Golden Plover 
( Pluvalis dominicus) has mottled and changed into its 
striking breeding plumage before leaving our shores. The 
Red-capped Dotterel ( Charadrius ruficapillios) breed's in 
Queensland. 
Birds of the Mangrove Islands. 
The Mangrove Dove ( Geopelia humeralis) does not 
by any means confine itself to the mangrove islands. The 
bird is at home in any sort of country where “pigeon 
berries” are to be found, but some few are always to be 
heard and seen amongst the mangroves. 
The Mangrove Honey-eater ( Meliphaga f asciogul aris) 
keeps pretty well to those precincts: and is usually plenti- 
ful on the lesser islands. A very bright songster and an 
active bird, it is often the dupe of the Pallid Cuckoo 
(Cuculus pallid us) . The honey-eaters exhaust themselves 
gathering food for their monstrous foster birdlings. 
The Mangrove Bittern (B.utorides striata) is a 
weird kind of bird, and keeps mostly (but not wholly) 
to the mangroves. The bird fishes, perched on a low 
bough overhanging the water — or crouches — a stealthy, 
sinister shape by tidal pools. A bird is the last thing it 
looks like until the long neck darts out from the hunched 
shoulders, and a small fish is caught in the sharp beak. 
Then with a quick, mincing run the bird changes ground 
to the next pool. The Mangrove Bittern is much like a 
white faced heron when in flight. 
The Mangrove Kingfisher (Halycon sordidus) is 
very like H. sanctus , rather larger, a darker green, and 
with a white instead of a buff breast. 
Last of the birds peculiar to the mangroves is the 
little Mangrove Warbler (Gcrvcjone ecmtator A This 
dainty, soberly coloured three inch songster does not 
wander far from the water side, though occasionally the 
melodious song of the wee bird minstrel is heard from 
river gullies and back gardens close by. The bird puts 
in great work, ridding orange and mango trees of scale 
insect. 
