Thursday 14 November 2013

Australasian Figbird



I have seen a few of these fellows, and they are fellows the females are more brown than yellow, around the area. This is an Australasian Figbird which is found throughout wide range of wooded habitats in northern and eastern Australia, southern Papua New Guinea, and the Kai Islands in Indonesia.


This bird was in a mango tree in Port Douglas and was happily chirping away. Australasian Figbirds make a large number of different short calls, and are also able to mimic the voice of other birds.


This bird mainly eats fruit but will also eat insects and nector. Even though they tend to live in certain areas they will move around according to food needs.


This fellow was in a tree on the Esplanade in Cairns and was also happily whistling away.


The Australasian Figbirds form flocks outside breeding season and will often live in loose colonies during breeding season. They build a loose saucer like nest and both the male and female incubate the eggs. I have only seen solitary birds on my wanderings.


This fellow is a resident of the Cairns Wildlife Dome and enjoys flying around and making a racket.

I have previously done a post including this bird back here when I saw it earlier in the year in the area around where I live.

Wild Bird Wednesday
 
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9 comments:

  1. Nice to see the northern figbird. Ours is more greenish on the front. Beautiful photos.

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  2. Hi. Lovely shots of the Figbird. What part of n. Wueensland are you? My daughter lives outside Innisfail

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  3. Lovely shots of this handsome fellow.

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  4. I have never heard of this bird and what a lovely bird it is too. Very nice share~

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  5. Hi Neil, different sub species are slightly different colouring apparently ranging from the more olive green breasted to the yellow breasted. I haven't seen these birds anywhere but up here in the north. Good to know they really are around else where. Thanks

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  6. Hi Margaret, I am in Cairns at the moment and spend a bit of time on the Atherton Tablelands. Wow your daughter isn't that far away. Thanks for you comment and dropping by.

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  7. Hi Mary, thanks and thanks for dropping by. I had never heard of it until I saw one and wanted to know what it was.

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  8. I think I saw Fig birds for the first time in Darwin - while having a cool drink by a pool!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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