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Western Spinebill - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Photo by Mat & Cathy
Western Australia, June, 2009
Acanthorhynchus superciliosus

Identification

12·5–15·5 cm (5-6 in)

  • Long slender curved bill
  • Longish tail

Male

  • Black head
  • Grey back and wings
  • Red band behind neck and from throat to breast
  • White eyebrow and cheek bands
  • Distinctive white and black band on breast

Female

  • Rufous nape
  • Throat/breast uniform grey/brown

Distribution

South-western Western Australia.

Taxonomy

Female
Photo by Mike Bouette
Lesmurdie, Perth, Western Australia February 2016

This is a monotypic species[1].

Habitat

Heath and woodland, particularly where Banksia and other Proteaceae plants grow. They also visit gardens.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet consists mostly of nectar with the addition of insects. The feed up to about 30m

Breeding

They build a nest from bark, plant stems, down and spider webs. The clutch consists of 1-2 eggs which are usually incubated by the female.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2016)

Recommended Citation

External Links

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