Helmeted Friarbird

The Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.  When I saw it in Innisfail, Queensland on this tree in the next door neighbours garden, it was always quite aggressive to the smaller Honeyeaters and they had to wait until he was finished before they had a chance for any nectar.  Some day I will show you some of the smaller birds that feed on this tree.  Unfortunately, the man cut the tree down and therefore with it went all these birds food!

It is found in Indonesia and northern Australia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.

The Helmeted Friarbird  is a medium to large Honeyeater characterised by the silver crown, frilled whitish nape, large gently sloping knob on bill and bare, leaden-grey facial skin. Back, rump and tail are grey-brown; underparts are paler, silvery-brown and lightly streaked. Iris is red-brown. 

Males and female adults are similar.

It was joined by the Rainbow Lorikeet and as it was about he same size as it, it did not seem to mind it feeding at the same time.

Size: 32–37 cm

In Queensland, it feeds on the margins of rainforests, monsoon forests, vine thickets, mangroves, eucalyptus woodlands; 

Conspicuous, noisy, often aggressive toward other birds around flowering trees, where it seeks nectar, fruit, insects from flowers, bark crevices or taken in flight.

Calls are varied; include harsh cackles, squawks and clanking ‘chlank’. Some notes are quite musical, but usually intermixed with harsh sounds: ‘warruk, kuk-kaowww, warruk-kuk-kaowww’; ‘kaowww-kuk, kaowww-kuk’; a higher ‘kewik, kewik’, and similar variations. 

Breeding

Aug.–Apr. Deep, bulky cup of bark strips, fine twigs, lining of fine vine tendrils; hangs in outer foliage of tree or shrub, 2–15 m up. 

Clutch 2–5

Juveniles have smaller knobs and the throat and breast are less streaked.

I hope you enjoyed hearing and seeing this bird from Queensland, Australia and I am linking it with WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.

I have a very short video which can be accessed at

http://youtu.be/HP1wG20u3FM

Thank you for visiting.

Any thanks for leaving comments on any of my post.  I am sorry, as I am on holidays, I (most likely) will not have time to comment on your blogs as often as I would like, however I will try and post every day.