I had a strawberry tree [i]Muntingia calabura[i/] in my back yard for years and with it came a resident mistletoe bird. I love them: cheeky little things with red bums :^)
I think it comes from Malaysia so likes warmth and water. It bears flowers and fruit all year round so I think it could be a good food source when native stuff is unavailable but the mistletoe bird is the only local which claimed it as home.
BTW this tree poses a possible risk of becoming a pest so do not grow it where it might get into tropical rain forrest areas. The bird will also introduce mistletoe into your garden.
Lovely little bird isn't it Thommo? I'd be happy to have it in my garden. We don't have many flowering trees but have lots of berry producing palms and the birds love them. There are also plenty of berry fruit trees around but I have no idea what they are. The birds sure know which ones they like though.
Cheers
birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Thats a top shot of a Mistletoe bird Thommo.
I see heaps of them but they are so small and always to high up to bother.
Well done mate!!!
Not mine I'm sorry Tassie. The pix of both the tree and the bird were collected after a search, just to illustrate my post.
I hope this does not offend.