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Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis |
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The Dollarbird, the only member of the Roller family to reach Australia, is a summer breeding migrant that spends the southern winter in New Guinea and nearby islands. Dollarbirds were reported each year from 35 per cent of sites. This may be because they find breeding sites within the suburbs, as they nest in cavities in tall trees. Dollarbirds are noisy and conspicuous and individuals seem to have favourite spots to perch, such as on dead tree tops or power poles. Their feeding technique is to catch large insects (such as cicadas, moths and beetles) by darting out from a high perch or hawking over trees. Their annual pattern is among the most consistent of Canberra's birds with a single peak most years in January or February. The first birds appear in September with the last few records in April. Numbers seem to have gradually declined over the 17 years of the survey. Interestingly, the lowest number of Dollarbirds was reported during 1992-93 - the only year the Rainbow Bee-eater was absent. Breeding records have also declined, from 11 in the first nine years of the survey to four in the last eight years. Dollarbirds are generally solitary except immediately after breeding. Dependent young were reported from late December to early March. R=42. BR=30.
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