- Lichenostomus melanops
Includes: Helmeted Honeyeater
Identification
Olive-brown above, yellow grey below, black face mask, bright yellow ear tufts and sides of the throat, down-curved bill. Sexes similar. Young are duller and paler, with yellow areas washed green. [2]
Distribution
Eastern and south-eastern mainland Australia.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 3 subspecies[1]
- L. m. meltoni:
- Central and eastern Queensland through New South Wales to far south-eastern South Australia
- L. m. melanops:
- Eastern New South Wales (about Lismore to Jervis Bay)
- L. m. cassidix: Helmeted Honeyeater is much larger, with brighter plumage
- South-central Victoria (Yellingbo district of West Gippsland)
Habitat
Open dry forests and woodlands dominated by eucalypts, and often near water; sometimes visit gardens. L. m. cassidix is found in narrow patches of tall forest along streams or in swamps.[2]
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes nectar from eucalypt flowers and insects from leaves and bark.
Breeding
They breeding in colonies. Pairs are monogamous and parents are occasionally assisted with feeding and nest cleaning by 'helpers'. They build a tightly woven, cup-shaped nest. The females do most of the incubation, but both parents, plus any helpers, feed the young. Two or three broods may be raised in a season.[2]
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Birds in Backyards
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Yellow-tufted Honeyeater. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Yellow-tufted_Honeyeater
