Red Wattlebird / by Darryl Konter

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This is the second-largest member of the Australian honeyeater family, the red wattlebird. You can see the red wattles beneath its face that give this birds its name.

You will find these birds in southeast Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and southwest Western Australia in open forests and woodlands. It’s a common visitor to urban gardens and parks. Red wattlebirds are loud and easy to spot. I was trying to get a good photo of another bird in this tree when this bird flew in for a snack, chasing the other bird away.

The red wattlebird is about 14 inches long and is one of the largest nectar-feeding birds in the world. This one was enjoying what it could get from the flowers on this tree. It was kind enough to pause for a moment, allowing me to get this shot of him or her (sexes are similar, so I have no way of knowing which it is) framed by the beautiful flowers and fruits of this tree, the name of which I have forgotten.