The Spotted Pardalote

Uncommon birds don't see them every day And so confiding in their own quiet way Perhaps Australia's tiniest little birds And beautiful for them the perfect word. Of human kind they show so little fear And they don't fly off if human standing near Human company they do seem to enjoy They let you get so close then off they fly. They love to show themselves or so 'twould seem And they perch on low branch where they can be seen And they never try to hide from watcher's eye A thing of beauty is a thing of joy. Had i the genius of a Nature poet I might describe the spotted pardalote With small white spots on back and wings and head And yellow, dark and gray and fawn and red. They hunt for insects, flies and little bees On branches and leaves of gum and wattle trees The fairest of pardalote family A bird i know but not so often see.