Nominate subspecies
Photo © by Joseph Morlan
Kuto Bay, Isle of Pines, New Caledonia, 23 September 2019
Photo © by Joseph Morlan
Kuto Bay, Isle of Pines, New Caledonia, 23 September 2019
Alternative name: Grey-eared Honeyeater
- Lichmera incana
Identification
13-17 cm (5¼-6¾ in)
- Males larger
- Dull green brown upperparts
- Grey underparts with an olive hue
- Silver grey cheeks
- Dark grey crown
- Long, downcurved, black bill
- Blue grey legs and feet
Distribution
Vanuatu and New Caledonia.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 5 subspecies[1]:
- L. i. incana:
- L. i. poliotis:
- Loyalty Islands (Beautemps, Beaupr‚ Uvea and Lifou)
- L. i. mareensis:
- Mar‚ (Loyalty Islands)
- L. i. griseoviridis:
- Central Vanuatu islands
- L. i. flavotincta:
- Erromango Island (Vanuatu)
Habitat
Scrub, forest, mangroves and gardens.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes insects, spiders, nectar and pollen.
Breeding
The nest is built from grass and plant fibres, held together by spider webs. The 2 red spotted, white eggs are incubated for 14 days. The young fledge after 12 days.
Vocalisation
Call: tchoo-tchoo-tchoo.
Movements
Mostly sedentary with local movements to flowering plants.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Dutson, G. (2011) Birds of Melanesia, Christopher Helm, London.
- Higgins, P., Christidis, L. & Ford, H. (2019). Grey-eared Honeyeater (Lichmera incana). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/60390 on 2 December 2019).
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Dark-brown Honeyeater. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Dark-brown_Honeyeater
