Profile: Anthochaera carunculata

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Subphylum Vertebrata

Class Aves

Order Passeriformes

Family Meliphagidae

Genus Anthochaera

Species Anthochaera carunculata

Ancient Greek anthos ‘flower, bloom’

Ancient Greek khairō ‘enjoy’

Latin caruncula ‘small piece of flesh’

Common Name Red Wattlebird

eBird: Anthochaera carunculata

iNaturalist: Anthochaera carunculata

Wikipedia: Anthochaera carunculata

South Australian iNaturalist Research Grade Observations

My iNaturalist Research Grade Observations

Identification Tips (SA Only):

  • Red-pink wattle (skin flap) behind and below the eye. (Paler in juveniles)
  • Silver/white face triangle
  • Yellow belly
  • Red iris
Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales, Plate 6, John White (1790)

Similar Species (SA Only):

  • Anthochaera chrysoptera (Little Wattlebird)
    • No wattle
    • No silver/white face triangle
    • Underparts fine white streaks
    • Blue-grey iris

Requirements: Food

  • Primarily nectar (carbohydrate) from:
    • Eucalyptus, Banksia, Hakea, Grevillea, Eremophila, and Xanthorrhoea
    • Collected from taller sources, rarely near the ground
  • Honeydew from Psylloids (Superfamily Psylloidea)
  • Supplemented with protein from:
    • Small Insects, primarily by hawking

Requirements: Nesting

  • Sticks, leaves, bark, grass and hair
  • Nest located from 2m to 16m above the ground, typically in Eucalyptus species.

Biodiversity+ Accommodations

The following resources occur naturally or have been made available on the property to support this species:

  • Nectar
    • Eucalyptus leucoxylon (Cultivated)
    • Eucalyptus erythrocorys (Cultivated)
    • Eucalyptus wimmerensis (Cultivated)
    • Eucalyptus scoparia (Cultivated)
    • Eucalyptus torquata (Cultivated)
    • Grevillea ilicifolia (Cultivated)
    • Grevillea thelemannia x olivacea (Cultivated)
    • Banksia marginata (Cultivated)
    • Banksia ornata (Cultivated)
    • Callistemon citrinus (Cultivated)
    • Hakea francisiana (Cultivated)
    • Eremophila maculata (Cultivated)
    • Eremophila glabra (Cultivated)
  • Honeydew from Psylloids
  • Insects
    • Flies (All Records including those too large to eat)
    • Wasps (All Records including those too large to eat)
  • Nesting Materials
    • Grasses
      • Themeda triandra (Cultivated)
      • Microlaena stipoides var. stipoides (Cultivated)
      • Poa labillardieri (Cultivated)
      • Gahnia filum (Cultivated)