SPECIES: Anthochaera chrysoptera halmaturina — Kangaroo Island Little Wattlebird
CLASSIFICATION: Vulnerable
The Kangaroo Island Wattlebird now finds itself listed as a threatened species, reclassified since the bushfires on the KI in 2019/2020. It's the smallest of the wattlebird species and prefers the drier often scrubbier habitats: woodlands, forests, urban parks and gardens. Wattlebirds feed mostly on nectar, using their adapted brush-tipped tongue, to reach down into the flowers. Their diet also includes insects, berries and seeds.
Degradation and loss of habitat, particularly due to fire, and predation by feral cats are the major threats facing the KI Wattlebird.
Picture: Jett Newman