Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Chestnuts love their greens


Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax) shows signs of breakfast at Tyto today.


The birds love the long green threads of a water plant (unidentified, by me!). It thrives in shallow pools and temporary creeklets after flood waters recede, but does not for several weeks attract the mannikins.


Nor does it draw Crimson Finches, Nutmeg Mannikins or Red-browed Finches, all of which share some similarity of taste with the Chestnuts.


Very different tastes here: Agile Wallaby with Willie Wagtail hanger-on ready to pounce on insects set flying by the browser.

6 comments:

  1. These pictures just get better and better!

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  2. Hi Tony
    Love the last image. Beautifully composed.
    .
    Cheers
    Denis
    PS - Brisbane and NSW North coast underwater - just for a change.

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  3. Thanks all.
    Hearts here go out to those being flooded down south.

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  4. G'day Tony,
    Another fascinating entry.
    I wonder if the diet of those Mannikins is something that just that specific family or colony has discovered and others haven't? Always something to ponder and wonder over.
    Gouldiae

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  5. Hi, I really want to share the adorable picture of the wallaby and wagtail as a thumbnail in Facebook but it won't let me. Is there any easy way to make this possible please?
    Thanks very much!

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