Hello!
This bird was in bushes near the ocean around Seacliff. I'm wondering if it is a juvenile.
These photos were taken around 6:30AM. There is a chance that the third photo of the bird eating the berries could be a different bird, but I think it is the same one.
I've considered a Wattle Bird, which is common here. Maybe a Common Blackbird or even a juvenile Magpie, but none seem quite right. Note that the pink colour in the second photo came out in the conversion of the file to a smaller version. The bird did not really have pink feather tips.
Thanks for the help!
Terry
Looks like a scruffy Little Wattle bird, you may be right in suspecting juvenile, and I am not an expert, particularly in SA birds. We have LWB here in Tassie, and I am also familiar with them. The other suspect might be a juvenile or non breeding common Starling. That, like a common Blackbird would be smaller than a Little Wattle Bird.
Hopefully someone else will have a better idea.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Little Wattle Bird, I'd say, & probably a fairly young one, tgold. Those "berries" are the dried fruits or seed capsules of a Eucalyptus species, not local to Seacliff I wouldn't think. The bird isn't eating the capsules but it might use its bill to get at insects which have taken refuge inside the opening to the capsules. Take a careful look at a few of the capsules & I think you'll find some Little Wattle Bird tucker. Wattle Birds rely on insects as well as nectar from those flowers in your photo.
Thank you for the help here! I'll check out the tree again next time I'm on the trail.