Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) lives in temperate rainforest across Eastern Australia. It feeds on nectar & pollen. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Eastern Spinebill
- When nectar becomes scarce the eastern spinebill can lower its daytime metabolism to the same rate it uses at night. It does this by storing fat during periods of high nectar production and by extending the time it spends feeding. The bird's diet is heavily based on nectar from a wide range of native plants such as gum trees, mistletoes, Epacris species and several Proteaceae, supplemented by insects.
- Its nest is a deep cup suspended from the fork of a small bushy tree, hanging as high as 15 m above the ground. The structure is woven from grass and bark strips and lined with soft plant fibres and feathers, creating a secure platform for the eggs. Nests are typically placed between 1 m and 15 m in height, allowing the birds to stay concealed while still being close to feeding sites in forest and garden habitats.
- The species lays pinkish eggs that measure just 17 mm × 13 mm, barely the size of a thumbnail. Each clutch contains one to four eggs, with two being the average number laid. After the female incubates the eggs for 13 to 16 days, both parents feed the chicks and remove their faecal sacs, ensuring rapid growth in the early weeks.
- Males sport a long, thin, down-curved black bill and a vivid red iris, giving the bird a striking awl-like profile. The male measures between 13 and 16 cm in length, matching the species' overall size of about 15 cm. Its head is black, the throat white with a chestnut patch, and the back grey-brown with pale cinnamon underparts. These colour blocks accentuate the contrast of the red eye and the sleek bill.
- A 1982 study recorded a large influx of eastern spinebills that coincided with the start of flowering of Banksia spinulosa in New England National Park. This surge reflects the bird's strong reliance on nectar, as it feeds on the blossoms of many native plants such as gum trees, mistletoes, Epacris species and several Proteaceae including multiple Banksia species.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeEastern Australia
HabitatTemperate rainforest
DietNectar & pollen
About the Eastern Spinebill
In the sun-dappled underbrush of eastern Australia's forests, the Eastern Spinebill flits and weaves with effortless agility, its slender, curved beak probing the intricate network of flowers and branches with precision. As it moves, its iridescent plumage shimmers and glows, a mesmerizing dance of blues and greens that seems to shift and change with every fleeting glimpse. With its remarkable ability to hover in mid-air, sipping nectar from delicate blooms, the Eastern Spinebill is a true marvel of evolutionary adaptation, a tiny, winged jewel that embodies the very essence of its vibrant, thriving ecosystem.
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