The Spotted Pardalote Poem by Francis Duggan

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.