MistletoebirdScientific name: Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Meaning of name: Dicaeum is from the Greek word dicairon, meaning an Indian bird. Hirundinaceum is from the Latin word hirundinaceus, meaning like a swallow.
Aboriginal name: Moonidjidong (moon’ee’chee’dawng).
Distribution: Widespread throughout mainland Australia.
Description: Up to 11cm long with an 18cm wingspan.
Notes: The furthest distance recorded by the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme for this species of bird to travel is 51 km. The oldest bird recorded was still alive when its band was read in October 2007, 9 years 8.3 months after being banded (information as at 8 July 2018).
References: What Bird is That? Neville W Cayley. 1978
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Various contributors.
Aboriginal names of bird species in south-west Western Australia, with suggestions for their adoption into common usage. Ian Abbott. 2009. Conservation Science Western Australia Journal. Volume 7 No 2 http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/about-us/science-and-research/76-publications-and-resources/103-conservation-science-wa-journal
Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/science/abbbs/abbbs-search.html
The red chin, throat and breast indicate that this bird is a male.
Male Mistletoebirds have a dark stripe down the centre of their belly.
Female Mistletoebirds lack the bright red throat and black belly stripe of the male but have a red patch under the tail.
The pale beak and lighter colour edges to the wing feathers indicate that this bird is a juvenile. This photograph was not taken in the reserves of interest to the FQPB. Photograph courtesy of Bill Lambe.
This is a male bird. This photograph was not taken in the reserves of interest to the FQPB. Photograph courtesy of R. Dibbens.
