I saw a bird I haven't seen before last week. I'm sorry but missed the bird when trying to take photo. I'm very excited as it's not in 2 different field guide books of Australia - PizzeyKnight or Trounson. I live in NE Adelaide hills - Inglewood. It was in my vegie garden I think it may have been eating white fly/aphids on my brocoli. Approx. 150-200mm long, downward tail. A normal beak (not a honey eater elongated beak). Majority of bird is dark shiny black with birght yellow markings on head & I think a bright blue band on body? Such a pity I don't have photo as I'm not sure of where blue & yellow markings were exactly. A robust looking bird, not a fine bird like a wren, but bigger, more the size of a blackbird. Very showy. The only yellow/black bird I've found in books is a male Regent Bowerbird & it's not this.....has a smaller beak & much prettier. Please help.
Sounding vaguely possible as a male Golden Whistler?
Trying to think of birds with yellow. Eastern yellow robins are yellow and grey...
Yeah, I'm out for now... Try the Whistler. Bit smaller than you said, and no bright blue...
Cheers,
Scott.
Hi andnaz. I'm familiar with many of the Adelaide Hills birds but I'm stumped by your description. It doesn't ring a bell for me, I'm afraid. I suspect it's an escapee of some species. Is there anyone in your area who keeps exotic birds?
Hi Scott,
Thanks so much for replying, I really appreciate it. I'm soooo excited & frustrated at the same time. It's definately not the Eastern yellow robin or the Golden Whistler. Majority of bird is a very shiny black with these bold yellow & I think blue markings. It's also larger than these birds. I'm going to camp out in the vegie garden tomorrow to try to see it again - with camera ready! Only problem may be that I took most of the insect infested brocoli out.....so food source may not attract it now. I'm not a knowledgeable bird watcher but I do take note of the birds in our garden using the field guide & I've never seen this one anywhere. Thanks again. N
Hi Woko, Perhaps you're right. I'll phone the Cudlee Creek Wildlife zoo tomorrow to see if they are missing a bird like this...... I don't know of any bird keeping people to be honest.......Thanks for taking the time to think about it. N
I would have thought a Regent Bower Bird as well, I am just wondering if the blue may have been that blue sheen you see on really black birds like the Satin Bower Bird has, or was it a distinct blue marking like on a parrot, which if it is, changes things dramatically. Sorry can't help and hope you get a photo.
Regards
Shane
Put that bug-infested broccoli back in the ground, grab your camera & start shooting, andnaz.