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~Red Wattlebird~


~Red Wattlebird~
Photo Information
Copyright: Debbie Linkevics (deblink) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 338 W: 8 N: 383] (1256)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-06-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 400D Digital Rebel XTi, Canon Ef 90-300mm 1:4.5-5.6
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-06-26 1:32
Viewed: 896
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi All,
My friend and I decided to make a stop at Eagle on the Hill on our way back from the city one day last week. There were a lot of birds in the flowering gums and we also saw another Koala in a tree, so the stopover was well worth it. This is one of the birds I caught an image of, the Red Wattlebird, it moved quite fast so I took several images.

Red Wattlebird
Scientific name: Anthochaera carnunculata
Family: Meliphagidae
Order: Passeriformes

Description
The Red Wattlebird is a large, noisy honeyeater. The common name refers to the fleshy reddish wattle on the side of the neck. The plumage is grey-brown on the body, with prominent white streaks and yellow on the belly. The face is pale and the tail is long with a white-tip. Young Red Wattlebirds are duller than the adult and have a brown, rather than reddish, eye. The wattle is also very small and pale.

Distribution
The Red Wattlebird's range extends throughout the southern areas of the Australian mainland.

Habitat
The Red Wattlebird occurs in forests, woodlands and gardens, where it aggressively protects food-bearing plants from other honeyeater species.

Facts and figures
Research Species: Yes
Minimum size: 34 cm
Maximum size: 36 cm
Average size: 35 cm
Average weight: 111 g
Breeding season: July to December.
Clutch size: 2 to 3
Time in nest: 15 days

Feeding
The Red Wattlebird feeds on nectar, which it obtains by probing flowers with its thin curved bill. Some insects are also eaten, taken either from foliage or caught in mid-air. Berries and the honeydew produced by some insects add to the bird's diet.

Breeding
Red Wattlebirds raise one or two broods in a season. Both sexes have been recorded sharing incubation duties, but often the female will do this alone. Both parents feed the young.

References
Higgins, P.J., Peter, J.M. and Steele, W.K. (eds) 2001. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Volume 5 (Tyrant-flycatchers to Chats). Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
Longmore, N.W. 1991. The Honeyeaters and their Allies of Australia. Angus and Robertson and The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife, Sydney.
http://birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=8

Cheers,
Debbie
pablominto, dew77, delic, gracious, JPlumb, Alex99, gypsygirl58, scottevers7, SelenE, mlines has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To JPlumb: Dreadful sounddeblink 1 06-27 17:40
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Debbie,
Good point of view and a well composed image!
The fine light really brings out the details in the plumage, good clarity in colours...
Well done on this fine close-up shot!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2007-06-26 2:43]

Hello Debbie,
Excellent capture.I liked POV,pose of bird,framing and red eyes a lot.
TFS..:-)

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 449 W: 6 N: 310] (898)
  • [2007-06-26 2:54]

Hello Debbie,
Stark contrast with the light falling on the bird. It's definitely posing for you. Very sharp. I wonder if underexposing would help with the highlights without losing eye detail. Well done. Regards,
Hakan

Bonjour,
Voilà un élégant oiseau qui prend bien la pose.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

Bonjour Debbies,
Comme toujouts tu nous présente des sujets très intéressants, composition et détails mangitiques.
Merci
Marie

Hello Debbie,
very good pov for showing this beauty!
good sharpness, strong colour and details all round!
good composition indeed
thanks for sharing
greeting to you
Tony

  • Great 
  • ridvan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 555 W: 0 N: 1134] (5196)
  • [2007-06-26 14:43]

selam debbie; excellent shot of this lovely bird, very good details presented nice POV well captured with splendid colours TFS
regards
ridvan

Hi Debbie, an excellent composition with very good colour. Wow, that's sharp. These birds have the most annoying sound, kind of like turning the key in your ignition after you've already started the car, and they are nasty (with other birds of course). They can also be extremely difficult to shoot. I find them very difficult to get close to but you have an excellent pose here of this one. Very well done.

Thanks, John

Hi Debbie,
What a beautiful bird shot.Good details, sharp, colours And POV.Well done.TFS.
Regards.

hAyAti

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5669] (18533)
  • [2007-06-27 10:08]

Hi Debbie.
You managed to capture a very nice bird at so attractive pose. I like great composition of the picture, excellent sharpness and details of the main subject and perfect impressive well blurred BG. It seems to me the light at the bird image is hard a bit. My compliments and TFS.
Alexei.

Hi Deb,
Excellent capture of this Wattlebird! Great natural colours on the bird and great sharpness and details on the plumage contrasting nicely with the blurred background. Well done and TFS
Cheers Tina :-)

Hi debbie,
An excellent shot on this Red Wattlebird. Very well composed and framed. Strong light, but you handled it well. Colors and detail look very good.
Scott

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 63 N: 4227] (13822)
  • [2007-07-06 5:30]

Hi Debbie,
Nice capture of this Red Wattlebird. The pose you caught and the composition is very good. TFS
Selen

  • Great 
  • mlines Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 539 W: 24 N: 596] (2870)
  • [2007-08-13 20:10]

Hi Debbie. An excellent sharp image of this red wattylbird. It seems it felt safe hiding behind that twig! You have captured the key colours very well. TFS. Murray.

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