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Little Corella |
Sightings
Little Corellas, subspecies "gymnopis", are regularly found along the banks of the Namoi River, south of Narrabri. They are also found by us around reliable sources of food, such as e.g. olive groves. For that reason, Little Corellas are seen regularly at Eulah Creek, 20 km east of Narrabri, New South Wales, often in conjunction with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos.
We have encountered Little Corellas during a visit to the radio observatory at Parkes, New South Wales, in 2003. Seen also during a trip into the far west of New South Wales and into South Australia, towards the Flinders and Gammon Ranges in March 2008. Especially along the banks of the Darling River they were numerous at a time when rainwater runoff was flowing down the river after substantial rainfalls in southern Queensland.
In the Northern Territory, near Hogg Dam, we saw the nominate subspecies "sanguinea", which is displayed in the first photo.
Photos
Subspecies sanguinea
Flock of Little Corellas ("sanguinea") sitting in a tree near Hogg Dam, Northern Territory. One can see that there is hardly any pink between eye and bill (click on image for larger version)
Subspecies gymnopsis
Rear view of a Little Corella ("gymnopsis") feeding in a Californian Peppertree (click on image for larger version); note how the point of the upper mandible is pushed into the cavity of the lower one
Frontal view of a Little Corella ("gymnopsis") feeding in a Californian Peppertree (click on image for larger version); again, the use of the upper mandible inside lower one can be seen clearly
This is how one reaches the fruit (click on image for larger version); again, the use of the upper mandible inside lower one can be seen clearly
Lateral view of the same bird; note how, while in rest, the edge of the lower mandible fits into a groove in the upper one (click on image for larger version)
Little Corellas ("gymnopsis") on the edge of a trough drinking on a hot summer's day (I; click on image for larger version)
Little Corellas ("gymnopsis") on the edge of a trough drinking on a hot summer's day (II; click on image for larger version)
Here one of the food sources of Little Corellas: the fruit of an Acacia Salicina tree (click on image for larger version)
Nest
The following photo shows the entrance to the nesting hollow of a pair of Little Corellas.
Little Corellas' ("gymnopsis") version of "home, sweet home"...
Habits
Little Corellas are very sociable birds who prefer to live in large numbers.
As shown in the photo below, often seen by us together with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos.
"Little Corella tree" 15 km east of Narrabri (click on image for zoom towards one of the branches)
An example of peaceful (although not always quiet) co-habitation - a flock of Little Corellas ("gymnopsis"), together with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, on the banks of the Namoi river near Boggabri, New South Wales (click on image for larger version)