Eastern Spinebill

Scientific Name: Platycercus eximius

Description: The Eastern Spinebill has a distinctive long, fine, down-curved beak. The male has bolder markings, but both sexes have eye-catching markings of orange/brown, black and white. The juvenile birds are olive-grey above and yellow-buff below. They are energetic flyers, often darting about on whirring, fluttering wings which can make an audible sound as they move about. They can feed while perched or hovering.

The main breeding site of the Eastern Spinebill is near the Otway Ranges, but they move into the Barwon Heads area around April each year. The long thin bill that gives the bird its name is used to reach deep into flowers to collect nectar. It appreciates the banksias and other flowers of the Bluff, but it is quite at home in urban gardens. The call is a rapid trill. They feed on insects and nectar.

Type: Bird
Where to find: heath, forest, woodlands, and urban areas.
Size: 16 cm