Family Pardalotidae
Pardalotes are small jewel-like birds that feed on lerp and scale in the eucalypt canopy. Two of the four Australian species are found in the Canberra region, often seen with mixed flocks of thornbills and other species. They are quite colourful with short black bills. They actively feed on the sugary exudations (lerps) of small plant-sucking insects (psyllids) living on Eucalyptus trees.
Because they are small, and feed high in the canopy, they are often very difficult to observe, let alone identify. However, their calls are loud, clear, and easily recognised from some distance. They have been observed generally in groups of two or three during the survey, but often occur in much larger flocks during autumn and winter.