Hi everyone
Today I saw 2 different parrots that we only get in the backyard occasionally. And a pair of yellow-tailed black-cockatoos flew over me at tennis
Scaly-breasted lorikeets
They did not fly away even when I stood right under them. They were munching on something in the tree
Sulphur-crested cockatoos
Birdgirl, the scaly-breasted lorikeets were munching on
(licking off) lerp, a sugary secretion made by sap sucking insects called psyllids, which you can cleary see in your photos as white spots on the leaves.
Cheers,
al
Cheers,
al
Central Victoria
https://sites.google.com/site/blackhillreservekyneton/home
Nice shots Birdgirl,like the Lorikeets.Cath saw Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos as well today while she was at work.
Thanks for the info Al - I like learning more about the birds and their behaviour
Those lerps are protected or " farmed " by Bell birds. The Bell birds chase away other birds that eat lerps so that they can have the honeydew secretion for themselves. The lerp numbers build up to such an extent that they defoliate the trees and the trees die. This is a big problem in the Kyogle area with large tracts of trees dieing. It is called Bell bird die back. Ray
A nice set birdgild well taken
A Photo is only as good as the eyes that look at it.