Size: 8cm

Description: tiny bird with very short, stubby tail. Grey/olive-brown upper parts with darker brown wing edges. Lower parts are paler sandy grey, more olive/buff on lower belly. Fairly nondescript so tricky to ID but pale pink-brown, sharp, slightly downturned bill is distinct (if it stays still long enough!). Legs are dark grey-brown. Sexes similar. Spends most of its time flitting around in the canopy, often in pairs, can be quite hard to spot.

Diet: mainly fruit, especially that of mistletoe, as well as nectar, spiders and small insects.

Sounds: high-pitched, repeated “pit pit” and “chik-chik-chik” calls. Sings two different songs, one a sequence of twittering, the other an “orthopteran-like reel” that starts fast and becomes a slow trill midway through.

Breeds: January-June.