Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
Red Wattlebird, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, January 2006 - click for larger image Australia
January / March 2006

The Red Wattlebird is distributed in south-west, south and south-east mainland Australia. It is found in eucalypt forest, woodlands, scrub, orchards and gardens.

Red Wattlebird, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, January 2006 - click for larger image They are noisy and aggressive birds that feed on nectar, insects and insect larvae. Photo 5 shows a Red Wattlebird eating an insect.

It has a red eye with a whitish cheek patch below which hangs a red wattle which varies in size as it gets older with age. The centre of the belly is yellow.

There are three sub-species. The nominate (photos 1, 2, 7 and 8) is very similar to the race A. c. woodwardi found from South Australia westwards (photos 4 and 5) except the latter is smaller with a shorter tail.
Red Wattlebird, Kangaroo Island, SA, Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image The race A. c. clelandi is found on Kangaroo Island. Its back is a dusky grey, the white feather shafts on the back are narrower and the cheek patch is smaller and less white. Photo 3 was taken on Kangaroo Island but this looks like a young bird.

Photo 6 shows an immature bird with very small wattles and a shorter bill.
Red Wattlebird, Port Augusta, SA, Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image
Red Wattlebird, Port Augusta, SA, Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image
Red Wattlebird, Wye Valley, Victoria, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image
Red Wattlebird, The Coorong, SA, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image
Red Wattlebird, Murramarang NP, NSW, Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image
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