THE CUTE AND CLEVER THORNBILLS

I have obtained permission from my two ‘boss’  brown thornbills to write a  little  story about them and their relatives. We have a  resident group in our Blue Mountains garden. They are really small; about 10cm long. They weigh in at around 7 grammes apiece. My darling husband told me this couldn’t be true…but it is!

I love to watch them them through the kitchen window when they are bathing. Look at this dear little fellow drying off in the morning sunshine;

They like perching nearby in my pot of succulents, which is often watered from their enthusiastic splashing.

Thornbills  are respectful little characters. Here they are politely turning their backs as  a silvereye takes its turn in the bath.

Right, our turn now chaps;

COURTSHIP…

I think the pair above  may be discussing where to build their nest.  It is usually located only a couple of metres from the ground, but in very thick shrubbery.  It’s made from grasses and bark and bound together neatly with spiders’ webs.  The top of the structure projects like a little awning. Very sensible if you live here in Blackheath, aka ‘Bleakheath’.

Naturally thornbills lay  the tiniest of eggs.  There are  usually three, which are white  with rusty red speckles.

Thornbills are incredible mimics. When their nestlings are under threat they can reproduce the alarm calls of at least  ten different birds.  Listen to this amazing YouTube recording.

Sometimes they even try to look like  a fierce predator. Goodness me, had to look twice to realize this wasn’t a miniature hawk.

When in a lighter mood, thornbills like to do a little rap dancing. The edge of a bird bath is a good spot to perfect a new move.

DANGER!

Unfortunately there is one threat that a thornbill cannot defend itself against, because the enemy is so sneaky! It’s the problem of a cuckoo replacing one of those sweet little eggs with one of its own.  The result is like something from a horror movie. The poor thornbill parents wear themselves out trying to satisfy the hunger of  their giant,  ‘intruder chick’.  Yes, I know it’s just part of nature, but  it almost breaks my heart to watch them.

I adore these feisty little birds.  Not surprisingly, they have always been regarded with affection;

Probably the combination of cheerfulness and lack of size brings out a protective feeling towards these small birds. The thornbills have always been popular with adults and even with boys.  (Western Mail, June 1950)

A DREADFUL MISHAP

Accidents happen in the most well ordered families. Recently a little thornbill flew into the window behind my bed with a sickening thud. My husband rushed to the rescue and admitted the tiny fellow to ‘hospital’.

After a long sleep it woke up and greeted me with those big, bright eyes. Seconds after I took the photo below it flew off for a bit more rest in a maple tree.

THANKS FOR ALL THE PLEASURE YOU GIVE ME DEAR THORNBILLS.