Dollarbirds courting
It’s that time of year for birds on the south east coast of Australia: breeding season! I heard a cosy chattering sound high in the treetops. My superzoom camera revealed two Dollarbirds getting friendly:
Dollarbirds are migratory. They travel down to the south east coast of Australia for the summer months (roughly September to March) then fly up north to warmer climes for the winter.
They get their name from the white circular markings on the undersides of their wings. The white circles reminded people of the old silver Australian one-dollar coins. You can see the flash of white nicely when the male flies off at the end of the video.
This still photo shows the blue-green colouring of the birds. They have soft brown heads and pretty purple shading under the beak:
Common name: Dollarbird
Scientific name: Eurystomus orientalis
Approximate length: 30 cm
Date spotted: 29 November 2021 (late spring)
Location: North Harbour Reserve, Balgowlah, NSW: 33°47’59.4″S 151°15’57.8″E
Posted on 2021/12/02, in Birds, Dollarbird and tagged australia, birds, birdsong, birdwatching, Dollarbird, Roller, Sydney birds. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Sydney Birder 
hi. In Armidale nsw these birds come each year, past? 10 yrs. just a pair usually November December, hang around 2 weeks usually on electric wire near house. The little blue kingfisher also appears about same time. Passing through just say hello and make me feel special with their visit.
Hallo Joy
How lovely! They are such pretty birds, with their glowing blue highlights. I find the noise they make quite companionable! As you say, they make us feel special.
Cheers
Sarah