People often ask if I can help identify a bird, and as well as some obvious descriptors they might insist that the bird is sleek or that it is round, when in fact, like these Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters, a bird can be both.
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS UM EXT
One of the birds I see in the Mallee is the stunning Yellow-plumed Honeyeater. They are named for their upswept neck feathers.
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS UM EXT
The first images I’ll share show this bird looking very sleek and slender. Like other honeyeaters they have a decurved bill that they use to feed on nectar; they also take insects and fruit.
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS UM EXT
The shot above shows the Yellow-plumed Honeyeater looking very sleek and showing off the streaking on its underparts.
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS UM EXT
They are beautiful birds to watch as they are so lively and noisy.
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS UM EXT
And here is a Yellow-plumed Honeyeater that definitely looks round. It is nicely fluffed up after bathing and drinking at a water barrel. These barrels are filled for bees and a grid floats on the water which means that the birds and bees have somewhere to perch as the water level drops.
Happy birding, Kim
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I LOVE this bird!! I haven’t seen any and guess I never will get the chance as I’m not out and about enough atm.
They are pretty special I agree. I hope you get the chance to see them one day as they are fun to watch 🙂
I’d be tempted to call it a puffling – but that name is already taken to describe baby puffins! And you’re right, Kim – the chubby bird in the last photo really does look like a different species from its slender version.
This reminds me of that old children’s book about fat and thin people, called ‘Fattypuffs and Thinifers.’
This lovely bird is both at the same time!
What an interesting thought Deirdre! I don’t think a book with that title would have much chance of being published any more. Years ago we used to be a lot kinder about different sized people, in my family anyway, with some that would rate on both sides of the equation.