Pardalote
Encyclopedia
Pardalotes or peep-wrens are a family
, Pardalotidae, of very small, brightly coloured birds native to Australia
, with short tails, strong legs, and stubby blunt beaks. This family is composed of four species in one genus, Pardalotus, and several subspecies
. The name derives from a Greek word meaning "spotted". The family once contained several other species now split into the family Acanthizidae
.
Pardalotes spend most of their time high in the outer foliage of trees, feeding on insects, spiders, and above all lerp
s (a type of sap sucking insect). Their role in controlling lerp infestations in the eucalyptus
forests of Australia may be significant. They generally live in pairs or small family groups but sometimes come together into flocks after breeding.
Pardalotes are seasonal breeders in temperate areas of Australia but may breed year round in warmer areas. They are monogamous
breeders, and both partners share nest construction, incubation
and chick rearing duties. All four species nest in deep horizontal tunnels drilled into banks of earth. Externally about the size of a mouse-hole, they can be very deep, at a metre or more. Some species also nest in tree hollows.
s (Dicaeidae), as both groups are dumpy looking birds with bright plumage
. In addition both groups have a reduced tenth primary (one of the flight feather
s). Genetic analysis has shown that the two groups are in fact not closely related, and that the pardalotes are instead more closely related another Australian family, the Acanthizidae
, which includes the scrubwrens, gerygones and thornbills. The two are sometimes merged into one family; when this is done the combined family is known as Pardalotidae, but the two groups are best separated as two separate families.
Within the family two species, the Forty-spotted Pardalote
and the Red-browed Pardalote
, are fairly invariant species, but the remaining two species are highly variable and are sometimes treated as more than two species. The Striated Pardalote
contains six subspecies that are sometimes elevated to four separate species, and one subspecies of the Spotted Pardalote
is sometimes treated as a separate species. Within the family the relationships between the subspecies are unclear, although it is thought that the Forty-spotted Pardalote is closely related to the Spotted Pardalote.
in the plumage
of some species. They have short, square-tipped tails and relatively short rounded wings (which are longer in the more dispersive species). The bill is short, deep and robust, but lacks the rictal bristles that surround the bills of many other insectivorous birds.
The pardalotes are endemic to Australia. The Forty-spotted has the most restricted distribution of the four species, being endemic to Tasmania
, in contrast the most widespread species is the Striated Pardalote is found throughout Australia, only absent from some of the driest areas of the inland central and western deserts. The Red-browed Pardalote is widespread in the north and west of Australia, whereas the Spotted Pardalote is found closer to the coast in southern and eastern Australia.
The family are eucalyptus
forest specialists. While they may occur in forests and woodlands dominated by other tree types, these are marginal habitats for the family and are seldom used. Pardalotes occupy a wide range of eucalypt habitats, from tall forests with a canopy over 30 m high to low mallee woodlands with a canopy of just 3 m.
s in the winter months. The majority of foraging occurs on Eucalyptus, with other trees being used much less frequently, and among the eucalypts trees from the subgenus Symphyomyrtus are preferred. Pardalotes forage by gleaning
insects from the folliage, as opposed to sallying and catching insects in the air. While pardalotes may consume a number of different types of insects, lerp
s, a honeydew casing exuded by insects of the family Psyllidae
, form the major component of their diet and the one to which they are most adapted to. These lerps are also highly sought after by the larger honeyeater
s, which aggressively defend the resource. A study of pardalotes in Australia estimated that 5% of a pardalote's day is spent evading honeyeater attacks.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, Pardalotidae, of very small, brightly coloured birds native to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, with short tails, strong legs, and stubby blunt beaks. This family is composed of four species in one genus, Pardalotus, and several subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. The name derives from a Greek word meaning "spotted". The family once contained several other species now split into the family Acanthizidae
Acanthizidae
The Acanthizidae, also known as the Australasian warblers, are a family of passerine birds which include gerygones, thornbills, and scrubwrens. The Acanthizidae consists of small to medium passerine birds, with a total length varying between 8 and 19 cm. They have short rounded wings, slender...
.
Pardalotes spend most of their time high in the outer foliage of trees, feeding on insects, spiders, and above all lerp
Lerp (biology)
In biology, a lerp is a structure of crystallized honeydew produced by larvae of psyllid insects as a protective cover.-Host plants:Some of the host plants on which lerp is often found include:* Eucalyptus dumosa...
s (a type of sap sucking insect). Their role in controlling lerp infestations in the eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
forests of Australia may be significant. They generally live in pairs or small family groups but sometimes come together into flocks after breeding.
Pardalotes are seasonal breeders in temperate areas of Australia but may breed year round in warmer areas. They are monogamous
Monogamy
Monogamy /Gr. μονός+γάμος - one+marriage/ a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse at any one time. In current usage monogamy often refers to having one sexual partner irrespective of marriage or reproduction...
breeders, and both partners share nest construction, incubation
Avian incubation
Incubation refers to the process by which certain oviparous animals hatch their eggs, and to the development of the embryo within the egg. The most vital factor of incubation is the constant temperature required for its development over a specific period. Especially in domestic fowl, the act of...
and chick rearing duties. All four species nest in deep horizontal tunnels drilled into banks of earth. Externally about the size of a mouse-hole, they can be very deep, at a metre or more. Some species also nest in tree hollows.
Taxonomy
The pardalotes consist of four species contained in a single genus, Pardalotus. The placement of the genus has varied, being first placed with the mostly oriental flowerpeckerFlowerpecker
The flowerpeckers are a family, Dicaeidae , of passerine birds. The family comprises two genera, Prionochilus and Dicaeum, with 44 species in total. The family has sometimes been included in an enlarged sunbird family Nectariniidae. The berrypeckers of the family Melanocharitidae and the painted...
s (Dicaeidae), as both groups are dumpy looking birds with bright plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
. In addition both groups have a reduced tenth primary (one of the flight feather
Flight feather
Flight feathers are the long, stiff, asymmetrically shaped, but symmetrically paired feathers on the wings or tail of a bird; those on the wings are called remiges while those on the tail are called rectrices . Their primary function is to aid in the generation of both thrust and lift, thereby...
s). Genetic analysis has shown that the two groups are in fact not closely related, and that the pardalotes are instead more closely related another Australian family, the Acanthizidae
Acanthizidae
The Acanthizidae, also known as the Australasian warblers, are a family of passerine birds which include gerygones, thornbills, and scrubwrens. The Acanthizidae consists of small to medium passerine birds, with a total length varying between 8 and 19 cm. They have short rounded wings, slender...
, which includes the scrubwrens, gerygones and thornbills. The two are sometimes merged into one family; when this is done the combined family is known as Pardalotidae, but the two groups are best separated as two separate families.
Within the family two species, the Forty-spotted Pardalote
Forty-spotted Pardalote
The Forty-spotted Pardalote is one of Australia's rarest birds and by far the rarest pardalote, being confined to the south-east corner of Tasmania.-Description:...
and the Red-browed Pardalote
Red-browed Pardalote
The Red-browed Pardalote occupies the northern two-thirds of Australia. It is a fraction larger than the Forty-spotted Pardalote, at 10 to 12 cm, and is the least conspicuously coloured, being paler and combining the spotted skull-cap of the Spotted Pardalote with the striped wings of the Striated...
, are fairly invariant species, but the remaining two species are highly variable and are sometimes treated as more than two species. The Striated Pardalote
Striated Pardalote
The Striated Pardalote is the least colourful and most common of the four pardalote species. Other common names include Pickwick, Wittachew and Chip-Chip...
contains six subspecies that are sometimes elevated to four separate species, and one subspecies of the Spotted Pardalote
Spotted Pardalote
The Spotted Pardalote is one of the smallest of all Australian birds at 8 to 10 cm in length, and one of the most colourful; it is sometimes known as the Diamondbird...
is sometimes treated as a separate species. Within the family the relationships between the subspecies are unclear, although it is thought that the Forty-spotted Pardalote is closely related to the Spotted Pardalote.
Species
- Spotted PardaloteSpotted PardaloteThe Spotted Pardalote is one of the smallest of all Australian birds at 8 to 10 cm in length, and one of the most colourful; it is sometimes known as the Diamondbird...
, Pardalotus punctatus. - Forty-spotted PardaloteForty-spotted PardaloteThe Forty-spotted Pardalote is one of Australia's rarest birds and by far the rarest pardalote, being confined to the south-east corner of Tasmania.-Description:...
, Pardalotus quadragintus. - Red-browed PardaloteRed-browed PardaloteThe Red-browed Pardalote occupies the northern two-thirds of Australia. It is a fraction larger than the Forty-spotted Pardalote, at 10 to 12 cm, and is the least conspicuously coloured, being paler and combining the spotted skull-cap of the Spotted Pardalote with the striped wings of the Striated...
, Pardalotus rubricatus - Striated PardaloteStriated PardaloteThe Striated Pardalote is the least colourful and most common of the four pardalote species. Other common names include Pickwick, Wittachew and Chip-Chip...
, Pardalotus striatus.
Description
The pardalotes are small, compact birds that range in size from 8.5–12 cm (3.3–4.7 in) in length. The Spotted and Striated Pardalotes conform to Bergman's rule and are larger in the south than they are in the north. The males and females are the same size as each other, but there are some differencesSexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
in the plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
of some species. They have short, square-tipped tails and relatively short rounded wings (which are longer in the more dispersive species). The bill is short, deep and robust, but lacks the rictal bristles that surround the bills of many other insectivorous birds.
Habitat and distribution
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, in contrast the most widespread species is the Striated Pardalote is found throughout Australia, only absent from some of the driest areas of the inland central and western deserts. The Red-browed Pardalote is widespread in the north and west of Australia, whereas the Spotted Pardalote is found closer to the coast in southern and eastern Australia.
The family are eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
forest specialists. While they may occur in forests and woodlands dominated by other tree types, these are marginal habitats for the family and are seldom used. Pardalotes occupy a wide range of eucalypt habitats, from tall forests with a canopy over 30 m high to low mallee woodlands with a canopy of just 3 m.
Behaviour
Pardalotes are almost exclusively insectivores. They will occasionally consume some plant materials including seeds, and there has been an observation of one Striated Pardalote beating and then eating a lizard. They feed singly or in pairs during the breeding season, but have been recorded as joining mixed-species feeding flockMixed-species feeding flock
A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging...
s in the winter months. The majority of foraging occurs on Eucalyptus, with other trees being used much less frequently, and among the eucalypts trees from the subgenus Symphyomyrtus are preferred. Pardalotes forage by gleaning
Gleaning (birds)
Gleaning is a term for a feeding strategy by birds in which they catch invertebrate prey, mainly arthropods, by plucking them from foliage or the ground, from crevices such as rock faces and under the eaves of houses, or even, as in the case of ticks and lice, from living animals. This behavior is...
insects from the folliage, as opposed to sallying and catching insects in the air. While pardalotes may consume a number of different types of insects, lerp
Lerp (biology)
In biology, a lerp is a structure of crystallized honeydew produced by larvae of psyllid insects as a protective cover.-Host plants:Some of the host plants on which lerp is often found include:* Eucalyptus dumosa...
s, a honeydew casing exuded by insects of the family Psyllidae
Jumping plant louse
Psyllids or jumping plant lice are small plant-feeding insects that tend to be very host specific, i.e. they only feed on one plant species or feed on a few related plants...
, form the major component of their diet and the one to which they are most adapted to. These lerps are also highly sought after by the larger honeyeater
Honeyeater
The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea, but also found in New Zealand, the Pacific islands as far east as Samoa and Tonga, and the islands to the north and west of New Guinea known as Wallacea...
s, which aggressively defend the resource. A study of pardalotes in Australia estimated that 5% of a pardalote's day is spent evading honeyeater attacks.
External links
- Pardalote videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- http://www.righthealth.com/connect/bowerbirds/pardalote