Bird Guide

Black Honeyeater vs Gilbert's Honeyeater

Black Honeyeater (Sugomel nigrum)

Black Honeyeater

Sugomel nigrum

Tiny10 gShrubland

The black honeyeater has a long, slender, down-curved bill, a small rounded head and slender neck set on a plump body, and a short, slightly cleft tail. It is between 10 and 13 cm (3.9 and 5.1 in) long, with an average wingspan of around 19 cm (7.5 in) and a weight of 9.5 g (0.34 oz). It has relatively long, pointed wings for a honeyeater, and very long wings for such a small bird, the development of which has been attributed to its feeding behaviour of flying between shrubs and hovering over flowers. The species is strongly sexually dimorphic.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Gilbert's Honeyeater (Melithreptus chloropsis)

Gilbert's Honeyeater

Melithreptus chloropsis

Tiny14 gForest

A mid-sized honeyeater, Gilbert's honeyeater has olive-green upperparts and white underparts to the undertail. Both olive and white feathers have grey bases, which can be seen if the plumage is ruffled. White feathers on the flanks have dusky tips. It has a black head, nape and throat, a white patch over the eye, and a white crescent-shaped patch on the nape, which is thinner than that of other species. The bill is brownish-black and the eyes a dull red. Voice: Gilbert's honeyeater has a harsh, grating call, as well as a continuously uttered, single-noted tsip.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Tyler Anthony · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black Honeyeater and Gilbert's Honeyeater.