Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata

Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata

Australia

The Red Wattlebird is distributed in south-west, south and south-east mainland Australia. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. It is found in eucalypt forest, woodlands, scrub, orchards and gardens.

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, 5, 9 and 10) 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, 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

Red Wattlebird, Perth, Western Australia, October 2013 - click for larger image

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