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18

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater

(Lichenostomus melanops)
Alternative names: "Whisky", "Yellow Whisker"
Size: 17-23 cm

Habitat

(for details refer to a field guide)

All three races of Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters are found in the south-eastern corner of the Australian continent. Nominate race "melanops" has a range restricted to the NSW coastline. Further inland in NSW, in southern QLD (in a wide coastal strip up to about Rockhampton) and throughout most of VIC race "meltoni" is found.

Race "cassidix" is also called the "Helmeted Honeyeater"; it exists only in a very restricted habitat just to the east of Melbourne, VIC, and is critically endangered.

Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters can usually be found in eucalypt forest with undergrowth, often near water courses. They do not like to venture out into open terrain.

Sightings

Race "meltoni"

We have first come across birds that we identified as Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters at Sawn Rocks, Mount Kaputar National Park, some 35 km north-east of Narrabri, NSW, in 2004. Spotted there invariably, whenever we go.

Later also found further south, on the eastern fringes of the Nandewar Range, 30 km east of Narrabri, where they are also permanent residents.

Photos

Lateral view of a Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, with a clear view of the yellow "tuft" protruding from the side of its head, feeding in a mistletoe bush

The same bird as in the photo above, with its head turned into the sunlight

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater in faint light

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater in faint light

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater photographed with a flash in fading evening light

Probably an immature Yellow-tufted Honeyeater drinking water from a dam; note the absence of a tail

The same immature Yellow-tufted Honeyeater as above, now a view of its front; note the blueish base of the bill that is not visible in the photos of adult birds

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Dispersive/ sedentary Elementary unit: Pair

 

Food

Like many other honeyeaters, Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters do not exclusively feed on nectar, but take insects too. Also known to feed on fruit and sap.

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