Honeyeater?

7 posts / 0 new
Last post
rachaelbaggallay
Honeyeater?

Small bird with a relatively long and distinct curved bill. Looks like it has a white/cream cheek and under the chin, but difficult to say with the angle and the light. Photos taken near Island Bend in Kosciuszko NP in Dec.

GregL
GregL's picture

I think it is a cuckoo, maybe a brush cuckoo or fantailed.

pacman
pacman's picture

my 1st impression is a young White-throated Treecreeper

I am at work and therefore no access to pics etc and would like to research

Bill length is too long for a Cuckoo

Peter

BabyBirdwatcher
BabyBirdwatcher's picture

Hi rachael, I'm pretty sure that this is a white throated treecreeper (perhaps a juvenille) due to the body shape, another way of telling if it was a treecreeper is if it was hopping up the tree which in this photo it loooks like it is whereas honeyeaters like to perch horzontally 

Thanks BabyBirdwatcher

GregL
GregL's picture

I think it is a brush cuckoo, the way it is holding it's wings is typical of a cuckoo, and the bill looks right to me. the face doesn't look right for a treecreeper, and treecreepers hold their wings in tighter.

rachaelbaggallay

It flew straight to that spot, fluffed itself up and started to preen itself. It flew straight off once it was done preening so can't say about the tree hopping. The position it is holding it's wings in is during preening so it might be a bit deceptive.

rachaelbaggallay

The shape/length of the bill and the white marking under the chin does seem to fit the White-throated treecreeper and it was about the right size. Thanks for the help everyone.

 and   @birdsinbackyards
                 Subscribe to me on YouTube