Yellow-rumped thornbill nest

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GregL
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Yellow-rumped thornbill nest

Nests sit still quite well so I got these pics. I saw the parents nearby and waited to try to get them at the nest but they were too cautious. The nest is very intricate, with multiple false nests on top, I think there is so much food available this year the birds have lots of energy for nest building. This is the first year I have seen yellow-rumped thornbills at our place, very pretty little birds.

birdie
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How fascinating Greg, and how ingenious of them to build a false nest etc. I didn't realise that birds did such things.
Looks like a palace doesn't it for such a small bird!

Thanks for posting that , it's really interesting.

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Andy
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"Nests sit still quite well" - funny. Yes they're much more obliging than the birds, aren't they?

I've read that the false nests made by the Y-R Thornbills never actually fool any bird. One of the theories is that the false nest is intended to deter parasitic cuckoos. So the thornbills are saying "Look, this is an empty nest, there are no parents around to look after cuckoo eggs and baby cuckoos." However, apparently the false nest never works. The thornbills still end up being used as host parents for cuckoos. Such a pity that they go to all that effort to make a false nest that doesn't work.

How lovely to have them nesting at your place. Thanks for sharing the photos.

Andy.

GregL
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It could be that the intention is to deter nest robbers such as currawongs and butcher birds by pretending to be an empty honeyeater nest.
I think red-browed firetails also build false nests.

akasha
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Nice work. Very interesting about the false nests. How high up is the nest?

GregL
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The nest is about 1.7m off the ground, in a honeysuckle vine on the border of my vegetable garden.

sparrow
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i think the false nests on top are called roosting nests,it, where the male spends the night when the hen boots him out when it gets to crowded

sparrow
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woops and yes red brows and several other birds i used to breed in aviaries as a boy built them like that

GregL
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I have to disagree with you there sparrow, I think the false nests are for camouflage not roosting. I believe roosting nests are built in autumn for roosting at night, and never used for breeding.
I'm not speaking as an expert so am only speculating.

GregL
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I got a picture of one of the parents, they were too quick at the nest but this is on a rosebush quite close.

Birdgirl2009
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Great nest shots. It's terrific to see something like that posted here, as well as the birds. You are lucky

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