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Rare, medium-sized honeyeater found only in a few areas with dense intact mallee woodland (such as Gluepot Reserve).
Endangered
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilyHoneyeaters
SizeMedium
RarityUncommon
HabitatFlowering woodland, heath, gardens, and any canopy with nectar or insect activity.
Best timeMost reliable in South Australia from October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Andrew Spencer
Range map
Range map
119visible hotspots
2349visible records
3states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Hybridizes with Yellow-throated Miner, which makes identification difficult, as hybrids show a mix of the features of both species. In Black-eared, the moustache is darker than the throat (moustache is paler in Yellow-throated) and the cheek patch entirely black (patch has silver flecks in Yellow-throated). In flight, note the rump is the same color as the back and tail (rump is paler in Yellow-throated). Aggressive and territorial; lives in colonies and vigorously defends the territory area against pretty much anything that moves.
Behavior
Grayish brown above, paler gray below, with pale gray crown, yellow bill, yellow eye patch, and a dark cheek patch.
Gallery