Silvereyes ground foraging

[Jim Kirker]

Late Wednesday afternoon, cool and overcast after showers, I was surprised to see two silvereyes foraging together among small herbs and grasses by the roadside at the edge of Hay's creek reservoir in Ardmore. The pair were busy moving short distances on the ground without calling and I saw one peck up what I took to be a small food item. They approached to within a metre of my feet as I stood there and when I moved they flew to a nearby shrub and then further along the road edge to again busy themselves on the ground as they had previously. I don't recall seeing silvereyes behaving like this before and wondered if others had.

[FraserGurney]

Hi Jim, I've seen them feeding on the ground in and around kiwifruit orchards fairly regularly, though not at the close range you mention. They were feeding on a combination of fallen fruit and unidentified items amongst the leaf litter.

[ZionCooper]

I have seen Silvereyes foraging on fallen fruit and insects before, here in Chch.

[Jim Kirker]

Hi Fraser and Zion, no sign of fruit I could see. They were right into whatever it was, wish now I'd had a closer look

[drheine]

Hi Jim,
A flock of Silvereyes have been foraging on low growing grevilleas in my garden for the past month. Gone now.