We have had two pairs of small finches burrow into sand and soil we had dumped. Unfortunately, we had to use the pile of sand, so we excavated and discovered an amazing stringybark tunnel leading to a bulbous stringybark nest at the end. There were no eggs. The birds may be diamond firetails but they do not match perfectly.
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J.D, via email.
Your photo (not used here) shows that your birds are spotted pardalotes, with white “diamond” spots, red rump and yellow throat.
They often burrow into heaps of soil and sand, making their cosy stringybark nest at the end of a tunnel.
Incubation takes up to 19 days, then the chicks are fed in the nest for about 22 days before they fly. That’s nearly six weeks, not including nest-building time.
- Questions and photos are welcome. Send to Roger Thomas at The Courier, PO Box 21, Ballarat, 3353, or email to rthomas@vic.australis.com.au
