This is another first sighting for me, from my trip out west of Sydney. A lovely little Mistletoebird perched in a bush:

I love the soft colours of this bird. She’s a female. I’ve yet to see a male, which are more dramatic in their colouring, with blocks of black, red, and white.

Mistloetobirds are tiny, measuring 10 to 11 cm from head to tail. Their favourite food is the fruit of mistletoes. In fact, they eat very little else. Australia has nearly 100 native species of mistletoe.

Common name: Mistletoebird
Scientific name: Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Approximate length: 10-11 cm
Date spotted: 21 July 2026 (winter)
Location: Living Desert State Park near Broken Hill, NSW, Australia: 31°54’03.2″S 141°26’23.1″E