#crested bellbird

[alonglistofbirds]

[2746/11080] Crested bellbird - Oreoica gutturalis

Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Family: Oreoicidae (Australo-Papuan bellbirds)

Photo credit: Mansour Vahedi via Macaulay Library

[malleedesign]

New Post has been published on http://malleedesign.com.au/a-favourite-coastal-heathland-plant-leucopogon-parviflorus/

A Favourite Coastal Heathland Plant: Leucopogon parviflorus

This is a tough medium sized shrub which grows all along the NSW coastline and interstate to Victoria and South Australia. I love this plant for its dense habit, tasty fruit and grey green leaves.

I occasionally use it in Designs where the soil is very sandy and the wind howling and have just spent over an hour trying to find decent photos of it on the internet. This was a frustrating task and propelled me to look back though my photo library to a Summer two years ago which I spent camping at Wilsons Prom and have fond memories of coastal bush walks snacking on the berries of Leucopogon parviflorus.

The fruit are sometimes called the native current and are quite tasty when they ripen to a white colour. They are an important food source for many birds such as Silvereyes, Rosellas, Crested Bellbirds, White-browed Scrubwrens, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters and more.

In the image above you can see Leucopogon parviflorus growing up against the granite boulder, pruned by the wind and bonsied by the poor gravely soil, what a toughie 😉

In more sheltered and protected positions it will grow into a medium sized shrub of around 2 to 3 metres. It responds well to pruning and will happily grow in part shade to full sun. The white scented flowers appear in Spring and are prolific and will attract the bees.

In the image above you can see it growing in amongst the Coastal tea tree and Geebung. Leucopogon parviflorus should be available from your local Council if you live near the beach.

[birdstudies]

October 11, 2016 - Crested Bellbird or Crested Thrush (Oreoica gutturalis)

These birds are found throughout much of Australia, excluding the northern and eastern coasts. They eat invertebrates and seeds, foraging on the ground or in shrubs. Though they spend much of their time alone, or in pairs during the breeding season, they sometimes join mixed-species flocks with thornbills and robins. Their nests are cups built from twigs, bark, or leaves, often in the fork of trees, where both parents incubate the eggs. It is common for them to put hairy caterpillars on the rims of their nests, possibly as food for the incubating bird or as some kind of nest defense.