Eastern spinebill

The eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) is a bird found on the Australian mainland from northern Queensland to South Australia, and on Tasmania, Kangaroo Island and the islands of the Bass Strait. It is resident in open forest, heaths, scrubland and gardens, usually near water.


Appearance

It is up to six inches in length, one inch of this being the bill which, as the name suggests, is a sharp curved spine that is used for probing flowers for nectar in the manner of a hummingbird.

Males and females are broadly similar in appearance, although the colours are duller in females. The crown, tail and wings are grey. The back of the neck is reddish-brown and the lower back olive-grey. The underparts are reddish-buff with a white central streak. The legs are black.

The cheeks are black and a white “moustache” joins a broken crescent shape on the breast. The throat is pale with a brown patch. The eyes are red.


Behaviour

Eastern spinebills are normally seen in pairs as they flit from flower to flower, their wings making a clapping sound as they hover.

The call is a succession of four musical notes with the last one being longer than the others.

Eastern spinebills feed on nectar, particularly from banksia flowers, for which they aid pollination. They also take insects.


Breeding

The breeding season is from August to December. Nest-building is done mainly by the female, anything up to 20 feet above the ground in a tree fork. The nest consists of a deep cup created from bark, grasses and moss and lined with fine grass and feathers.

The clutch of two or three eggs is incubated by the female while the male stands guard. Both partners feed the young. A second brood is common.

© John Welford