Red wattlebird fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are red wattlebirds?

Red wattlebirds are large native honeyeaters found across eastern and south-eastern Australia. Their scientific name is Anthochaera carunculata. These noisy birds are often seen feeding in flowering eucalyptus trees, banksias and bottlebrushes where they drink nectar using a brush-tipped tongue. They also eat insects and fruit.

Red wattlebirds are easy to recognise because of their streaky brown feathers, yellow belly patch and the red fleshy wattles hanging on the sides of their neck. They are active birds that move quickly through trees and shrubs, often calling loudly while chasing away other birds from flowering plants.

Students visiting bushland around Sydney may hear red wattlebirds before they see them. They are common in open forests, coastal heath, parks, gardens and bushland reserves, including areas around Field of Mars Reserve and Lane Cove National Park where flowering native plants provide food throughout the year.

A red wattlebird.

Red wattlebirds use their brush-tipped tongues to drink nectar from flowers.

Where do red wattlebirds live?

Red wattlebirds live across eastern and south-eastern Australia from southern Queensland through New South Wales and Victoria into South Australia. They are common in coastal and nearby inland areas where flowering trees and shrubs provide nectar throughout the year.

These birds are often found in eucalyptus forests, heathland, wetlands, suburban gardens and urban parks. In Sydney, students may spot red wattlebirds around flowering gums, banksias and grevilleas in bushland reserves such as Field of Mars Reserve and Lane Cove National Park. They usually perch high in trees but regularly fly into gardens to feed.

Red wattlebirds live in forests, heathland and gardens with flowering native plants.

What do red wattlebirds eat?

Red wattlebirds mainly feed on nectar from flowering plants. Their long curved beaks and brush-like tongues help them reach deep inside flowers to collect sugary nectar. They particularly feed from eucalyptus blossoms, banksias, grevilleas and bottlebrush flowers.

They also eat insects, spiders and small fruits. Insects provide important protein, especially during the breeding season when adults are feeding growing chicks. While searching for food, red wattlebirds help pollinate flowers by carrying pollen between plants.

Red wattlebirds feed on nectar as well as insects and fruit.

Red wattlebirds also feed on soft fruit and berries.

What do red wattlebirds sound like?

Red wattlebirds are loud and noisy birds with harsh coughs, squawks, rattles and chattering calls. Their calls can sound rough and scratchy compared with the more musical songs of some other Australian birds.

They often call while flying, feeding or chasing away other birds from flowering trees. Students exploring bushland may hear their loud warning calls before spotting the bird moving quickly through the canopy.

Red wattlebirds are known for their loud and harsh calls.

What is the life cycle of red wattlebirds?

Red wattlebirds usually breed during spring and summer when flowering plants and insects are abundant. The female builds a cup-shaped nest from twigs, bark, grass and spider webs, usually hidden in a dense shrub or tree.

Females normally lay between one and three eggs. Both parents help care for the chicks after they hatch. Young birds grow quickly and leave the nest after about two weeks, although the adults continue feeding them for some time afterwards. Juvenile birds are duller in colour and gradually develop adult markings as they mature.

A red wattlebird feeding its young in their nest.

A juvenile red wattlebird still covered in downy feathers.

Juvenile red wattlebirds are fed for two to three weeks after leaving the nest.

What adaptations do red wattlebirds have to help them survive?

Red wattlebirds have several adaptations that help them feed on nectar. Their curved beaks and specialised brush-tipped tongues allow them to collect nectar from deep flowers. Strong feet help them cling to branches while feeding among blossoms.

Their streaky brown feathers help camouflage them among bark and branches. Red wattlebirds are also highly territorial and use loud calls and aggressive behaviour to defend rich food sources from other birds. This helps them secure enough food, especially during breeding season.

A red wattlebird’s curved beak and tongue help it feed.

Red wattlebirds have strong feet that provide excellent grip.

Red wattlebirds use strong wings and broad flight feathers to move quickly between flowering trees.

Why are red wattlebirds important?

Red wattlebirds are important pollinators in Australian ecosystems. As they move between flowers feeding on nectar, they transfer pollen from one plant to another. This helps native plants produce seeds and reproduce.

They also help control insect populations by feeding on insects and spiders. Red wattlebirds are part of complex food webs and provide food for larger predators such as birds of prey and snakes. Their presence can also help scientists understand the health of local habitats and flowering plant communities.

Red wattlebirds are part of healthy bushland environments.

Red wattlebirds are capable of pollinating bushland plants.

How can you help red wattlebirds?

People can help red wattlebirds by protecting native bushland and planting local native flowering plants in gardens, schools and parks. Native grevilleas, bottlebrushes and banksias provide important food for honeyeaters throughout the year.

Students can also help by keeping cats indoors, reducing litter and protecting natural habitats from pollution and clearing. Leaving old trees standing where safe to do so can provide nesting and shelter sites for many native birds.

Native flowering plants provide food and shelter for red wattlebirds.

Related fact sheets

More bird fact sheets

• Birds fact sheet – Explore Australian bird groups, features and adaptations.
• Eastern spinebill fact sheet – Learn about another nectar-feeding bird found near flowering shrubs.
• Rainbow lorikeet fact sheet – Discover another colourful bird that feeds on nectar and pollen.
• Noisy miner fact sheet – Compare another honeyeater that lives in open forests, parks and gardens.

Habitats and ecosystems

• Field of Mars Reserve fact sheet – Learn about the local bushland habitat that supports native birds.

Plants that support red wattlebirds

• Hairpin banksia fact sheet – Discover a native plant that provides nectar for birds and insects.
• Sydney red gum fact sheet – Learn about a flowering eucalypt that supports nectar-feeding animals.
• Spider flowers fact sheet – Explore native grevilleas that provide food for pollinating animals.

Food webs and ecological relationships

• Insects fact sheet – Explore the insects that many birds eat.
• Flowering plants fact sheet – Learn how flowering plants support nectar-feeding animals and food webs.

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