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Family Pardalotidae
This large family consists of a wide range of small forest and woodland birds. There are two major sub-groups, the Pardalotes and the Scrubwren-Thornbill alliance.
Pardalotes are small jewel-like birds that feed on lerp and scale in the eucalypt canopy. Two species are found in the Canberra region, often seen with mixed flocks of thornbills and other species. Because they are small, and feed high in the canopy, they are often very difficult to observe, let alone identify. However, their calls are loud, clear, and clearly recognised from some distance. They have been observed generally in groups of two or three during the survey, but often occur in much larger flocks during autumn and winter.
The birds of the Scrubwren-Thornbill alliance are small insectivorous birds, well represented in Canberra gardens. None are particularly distinctive in appearance, with their plumage predominantly in dun, olive and grey tones. There is little difference in plumage between males and females, and they have short slender and slightly bristled bills for capturing small insects.
However, different species forage at different levels in vegetation, according to the ecological niche they occupy, from the ground to the upper foliage of forests. So, together with their recognisable calls, and a little experience, these characteristics can help identify particular species.
Because different members of this family make use of different forest and woodland habitats, many different species find suburban gardens and surrounding parks open spaces quite suitable habitat. Some may be resident in gardens over considerable periods of time, While others may be observed moving through gardens in mixed feeding flocks, particularly during winter. Only two other members of this family were recorded in the survey, Southern Whiteface (8), Brown Gerygone (1) and Chestnut-rumped Heathwren (1).
A male Spotted Pardalote: a tiny jewel>>
Family Zosteropidae
Silvereye is of a different family from Pardalotidae and is included in this group for convenience.
Family Dicaeidae
Mistletoebird is of a different family from Pardalotiidae and is included in this group for convenience.
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