Spotted Pardalote

Tiny birds of mouse size one might say
And their kind one does not see every day
Spotted Pardalote the name they are known by
Their lives are brief they soon grow old and die.

With white spots on their wings and head and neck and back
And red on their rumps and fawn and white and black
And black stumpy tails with a few spots of white
Such pretty things they make for a pretty sight.

They make their nest in a hole in earth bank or in a cavity in a tree
And at nesting time birds that one seldom see
From predators their nest well hid away
In small globe of bark and grass three to five eggs they lay.

I recall a male spotted pardalote a few weeks ago
Peck at his image for hours on a window
Within the glass a rival he did see
One of his own kind too near his territory.

Not often seen and quite beautiful though small
One cannot mistake them for their high pitched call
High on the gum trees scaled insects they eat
Such tiny things to their taste buds taste sweet.