/
Medium-sized honeyeater with long decurved bill, nomadic across arid and semi-arid inland Australia.
VIC: Vulnerable
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilyHoneyeaters
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatFlowering woodland, heath, gardens, and any canopy with nectar or insect activity.
Best timeMost reliable in Western Australia from July to September.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Marc Anderson
Range map
Range map
2909visible hotspots
12844visible records
5states
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
Male black with white belly, wing patches, and tail panels; distinctive patch of blue skin beneath eye. Female and juvenile plain brown, with subtly patterned wings and faint speckles on chest. Much larger than Black Honeyeater (which has completely black upperparts).
Behavior
This species wanders in search of flowering shrubs and can be absent one year, common in large flocks the next. Calls include a slowly whistled phrase of several notes.
Gallery