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18

Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) Alternative names: "Spine-billed Honeyeater", "Cobbler's Awl"; Misnomer: "Hummingbird" Size: 14-16 cm Weight: 11 g (average)

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Taxonomy, classification

See Eastern Spinebill at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat

(for details refer to a field guide)

Eastern Spinebills are endemic to Australia. The four races of Eastern Spinebills are found along the south and east coast of the Australian continent. The range of nominate race "tenuirostris" extends from the south-eastern corner of SA, via most of VIC, along the NSW coast and Great Dividing Range, into southern QLD. Found on the coastline only up to Hervey Bay, but the range continues in the tablelands, up to the hinterland of Rockhampton, QLD. In the tablelands further north, from about Mackay to Atherton, QLD, race "cairnsensis" is found. Race "dubius" exists only in Tasmania and the small islands along Bass Strait, while race "halmaturinus" is found around Adelaide, SA, and to the north of it.

Eastern Spinebills are usually in low, dense growth, e.g. in forest with dense undergrowth, in shrubs or heath. They can be found at high altitude (seen by us at 1300 m). They adapt to the presence of humans quite well and are also found in dense growth in gardens (where they like e.g. the flowers of fuchsia plants).

Sightings

First spotted by us in the area of Dorrigo, northern NSW, in November 2006. Seen also in October 2007 in Bald Rock National Park.

Also found west of the Great Dividing Range - first seen at Sawn Rocks, about 40 north-east of Narrabri, NSW, in March 2007 and in February and March 2009 30 km east of Narrabri, in the foothills of the Nandewar Range. In April 2011 found near the Governor in the Nandewar Range, 40 km east of Narrabri, NSW, at an altitude of at least 1300 m.

Spotted also in Coolah Tops National Park, 30 km east of Coolah, NSW, in May 2009.

Subsequently, in June 2011, spotted in various locations along the NSW Central Coast, e.g. bushland 5 km east of Morisset, NSW.

Photos

Near-frontal view of an Eastern Spinebill

Lateral view of an Eastern Spinebill

"Back side" of an Eastern Spinebill, also showing clearly the blue-grey colour of the upper wings

Lateral view of an Eastern Spinebill (slightly unsharp)

Eastern Spinebill feeding on the nectar of a mistletoe bush

View from below of an Eastern Spinebill; note the long, slender bill

View from below of an Eastern Spinebill; note the chestnut throat patch

Frontal view of an immature Eastern Spinebill

Lateral view of an immature bird observed on a rainy day

Here seen hanging from a flower on which it is feeding

Behaviour

Social behaviour: ?

Mobility: Dispersive

Elementary unit: Pair

Food

Eastern Spinebills specialise on nectar from trumpet-shaped flowers, to which their long, curved bills are adapted.

These pages are largely based on our own observations. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. If you should like to reproduce any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us:          Last updated: 9 May 2012.