Striated Pardalote
Scientific Name: Pardalotus striatus
Size: 9.5 to 11 cm
What does it look like?
Like the Spotted Pardalote, the Striated Pardalote is more common than is usually realised. Across Australia, it has a white eyebrow with a yellow spot in front of the eye, an olive-grey back and a white stripe on the wing. Other colouration is very variable. The wing stripe may be narrow or wide, with a red or yellow spot at the front end of it. The crown is black, with or without fine white stripes. The frequent call is a sharp ‘tchip tchip’.
Where is it found?
It is found throughout Australia.
What are its habitats & habits?
The Striated Pardalote can be found in eucalypt forests and woodlands. Like other pardalotes, it feeds on arthropods, which are gleaned from foliage high up it the tops of trees. When breeding, however, the birds are often much more noticeable as they mostly construct their nests close to the ground, usually in a tree hollow or tunnel, excavated in an earthen bank.
This species features in my book Australia’s Birdwatching Megaspots
