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Singing HoneyeaterAlternative name: "Dairy-bird" Size: 18-22 cm |
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Habitat |
(for details refer to a field guide) |
For details about the four different races of Singing Honeyeaters please see a field guide. Together they occupy almost the entire Australian continent, with the following exceptions. They are not found in the far north of the NT, Cape York peninsula, QLD, and the entire eastern seaboard and the Great Dividing Range, down to about Melbourne, VIC in the south. There are no Singing Honeyeaters in Tasmania either. It is worth noting that Singing Honeyeaters are so well-adapted to arid environments that they can exist in all of Australia's deserts.
Singing Honeyeaters can usually be found in low shrubs and trees, both in the interior and along the coastline. They have a preference for grevilleas and bottlebrushes, where present. They are normally not found in dense forest.
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Sightings |
Singing Honeyeaters were a rare sight at the place where we lived in 2003-2006, 20 km south of Narrabri, NSW. First spotted in December 2005, then again in April 2006 in the area of Bohena, 15 km west of Narrabri and later in August and September in both areas.
Where we lived from 2007 onwards, 20 km east of Narrabri, in the foothills of the Nandewar Range, Singing Honeyeaters are permanent residents and, together with a strong contingency of Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, the dominant species of honeyeater in the area.
At the two places where we lived, we observed a distinct anti-coincidence of Singing Honeyeaters and White-plumed Honeyeaters.
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Photos |
Frontal view of the a Singing Honeyeater
Near-frontal view of the same bird
Lateral view of a Singing Honeyeater
The same bird feeding from a grevillea flower
Lateral view of a Singing Honeyeater looking for insects on the underside
of leaves
Singing Honeyeater coming in for a drink
Close-up lateral view of an immature bird
Frontal view of a Singing Honeyeater preening itself
Frontal view of a fledgling Singing Honeyeater
Here a different fledgling Singing Honeyeater, observed as it ventured
out of its nest for the first time in early November 2008; minutes later
it flew into a nearby tree
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Breeding information |
| Breeding season: Jul - Feb | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 14 days | Fledging age: ca. 15 days |
Given the right conditions, Singing Honeyeaters can breed any time of the year.
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Nest |
| Type: (Hanging) basket | Material: Grass, webs | Height above ground: 0.5 - 5 |
Singing Honeyeater nest in an oleander bush
The same nest as above, with two chicks on the point of leaving; they
were already practicing their wingbeat when this photo was taken - the
next morning they were gone
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Eggs |
| Size: 23 x 16 mm | Colour: Creamy, with tiny light-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
This egg(shell) was found on our lawn; based on descriptions in
field guides and on which birds were nesting at the time (Feb. 2011),
we tentatively identify this as a Singing Honeyeater's egg
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Behaviour |
| Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair |
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Food |
Like many other honeyeaters, Singing Honeyeaters do not exclusively feed on nectar, but take insects too. While previously we had seen them looking for insects in trees and bushes only, the photo below shows a bird foraging on our lawn - behaviour we do not regularly observe from honeyeaters.
Singing Honeyeater searching for insects on the ground
