Hi - this is my first post.
I had a group of three small birds (sitting in a row - wish I had the camera handy!) near the bird bath this morning. I live on four acres of sclerophyll forest in the north-west of Brisbane (a few kilometres from North Pine Dam). The birds were in the "scrub" near the bird bath. The "scrub" is densely planted grevilleas, bottle-brushes etc with a "Geisha Girl' overhanging the bird bath.
I have only the basic info for id-ing them. Small, with short, red/pink beak with what apeared to be (from a distance) a red/pink (scarlet?) crown or cap.
I thought they might be firetails but the closest match I could find is a red-browed firetail. The challenge is that the little ones I saw, especially when facing me directly, apeared to have a crown or cap (at least to my eyes at the distance they were from me).
Are there alternatives to the red-browed firetail or do I concede that they had a brow not a cap or crown?
Thanks
Ron
It's hard without a photo, but it sounds like a Male Red Capped Robin??
Tegan - Melbourne Vic.
Hi Tegan,
Thanks for the quick response, I too thought of robins (my bird knowledge is pretty limited by the way), but the little birds I saw had red beaks as well as the crown/cap...
I've been out wandering in the yard just now and I saw some red-browed firetails (along with a few rufus fantails and a wren I'll post a picture of shortly for ID). I could simply be mistaken about the cap - but I was so sure :). I'm learning that gathering information for correct, positive ID of a bird is not as easy as I thought.. As you say, a photo is best...
Thanks
Ron
I would say Red-Browed Finch as we don't get the Red Capped Robin up here in Brisbane.
The red brow can give the illusion of a cap.
Below is one to compare.
Hi,
Yep, looks like the one. I was so sure it had a cap...
Thanks fo the info and for taking the time to respond.
Great photo by the way. No chance of one like that with my compact.
Cheers
Ron
No problem Ron, thats what this forum is for. Glad you know what they are now.
You never know, I have seen some great shots taken on a compact camera. Thats what started getting me into photography in the first place. It just takes a lot more patience.