Identification: The male mistletoe bird has shiny blue-black upper parts, scarlet chin, throat and undertail and a white breast with a broad black streak down the centre.
The female has ash-brown upper parts, cream underparts and a pale scarlet undertail.

Call/Song: Makes a high-pitched wit-a, wita or per wit, per wita. Its also produces a warbling song and can mimick other birds.
    sound: Dave Stewart -used with permission

Located throughout mainland Australia.

Habitat:Found in a wide variety of habitats, wherever the mistletoe plant is found.

Feeding: Feeds on mistletoe berries, as well as berries from a few other species, such as box-thorn, saltbush, hawthorn and pepper trees.

Breeding/Nesting: Breeds from October through to March. Builds a suspended pear-shaped nest of plant material matted with cob webs.

Movement: Usually seen flying rapidly from tree to tree.
 

Photo: Glenn Threlfo

Status:

Distribution: 

Abundance:

Reader's Digest Services (1979) Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds, Surry Hills, NSW.