New Holland Honeyeater

Image from: John Gould (1804-81) The birds of Australia 1840-48. 7 vols. 600 plates Artists: J. Gould and E. Gould; Lithographer: E. Gould.

New Holland Honeyeater Photo: Norman Chaffer Estate/Nature Focus © Australian Museum

Phylidonyris novaehollandiae

Description

The New Holland Honeyeater is 17-18.5 cm long. It is mostly black and white, with a large yellow wing patch and yellow sides on the tail. It has a small white ear patch, a thin white whisker at the base of the bill and a white eye. This honeyeater is an active bird, and rarely sits still long enough to give an extended view. The voice comprises a loud 'chik', a fainter 'pseet' and some chattering notes. If danger, such as a bird of prey approaches, a group of honeyeaters will join together and give a loud alarm call. Sexes are similar in looks, but females are slightly smaller in size. Young birds are browner and have a grey eye.

One very similar species is the White-cheeked Honeyeater, P. nigra. This species has a single large white cheek patch and a dark eye. The two species frequently occur together.

Distribution and Habitat

The New Holland Honeyeater is common in heath, forests, woodland and gardens, mainly where grevilleas and banksias are found. Its range extends throughout southern Australia, from about Brisbane, Queensland, to just north of Perth, Western Australia. It is inquisitive and approaches humans. It also mixes with other types of honeyeaters.

Food and Feeding

New Holland Honeyeaters are active feeders. They mostly eat the nectar of flowers, and busily dart from flower to flower in search of this high-energy food. Other food items include fruit, insects and spiders. Birds may feed alone, but normally gather in quite large groups. Most feeding takes place in lower areas of bushes and thickets.

New Holland Honeyeater egg © Australian Museum

Breeding

New Holland Honeyeaters breed at any time of the year, but most activity takes place in summer and winter. The cup-shaped nest is made of bark and grasses, bound together with spider web. It is lined with soft material and is placed in a bush or tree, anywhere from ground level up to 6 m. The two to three eggs hatch after about 18 days and the young leave the nest after a further 16 days. Both sexes feed the chicks. Owing to the long breeding season, a pair of adults may raise two or three broods in a year.

References

• Longmore, N.W. 1991. The Honeyeaters & their Allies of Australia. Angus and Robertson and The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife, Sydney.
• Pizzey, G. & Knight, F. 1997. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
• Schodde, R. & Mason, I. 1999. The Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria.
• Schodde, R. & Tideman, S.C. (eds) 1990. Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds (2^nd Edition). Reader's Digest (Australia) Pty Ltd, Sydney.