Scarlet Honeyeaters and Weeping Bottlebrush Original Painting

Myzomela sanguinolenta and Callistemon viminalis

Acrylic on watercolor paper, 2008

22 x 18″ framed; archival matboard, blonde wood frame

My parents have an enormous bottlebrush in their yard which buzzes with bees and hummingbirds when it’s in bloom. Curious about what pollinates this plant in its native Australia, I learned that one of them is the scarlet honeyeater, similar in size and shape to African sunbirds. Unlike hummingbirds, who hover, sunbirds and honeyeaters perch to feed, so their nectar plants must be robust enough to hold their weight (unlike hummingbird-pollinated plants, which are often quite delicate).