Bird Guide

Helmeted Friarbird vs Noisy Friarbird

Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides)

Helmeted Friarbird

Philemon buceroides

Medium109 gForest

The helmeted friarbird has a dark gray face with red eyes. This bird is a gray-brown bird with a fading white as it comes toward the chest. As the spotted chest approaches the feet, it starts to tint darker until it gets to the feet. The bird ranges from 32 to 36 centimeters weighing in at 127-179g for males and 92-112g for females. The average male measures about 38 cm, and is the largest subspecies of the 4 helmeted friarbirds found in Australia.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: quirino · CC BY 4.0
Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)

Noisy Friarbird

Philemon corniculatus

Medium101 gForest

Measuring 31–36 cm (12–14 in) in length, the noisy friarbird is a large honeyeater with dull brownish grey upperparts and paler brown-grey underparts. Its black head is completely bald apart from tufts of feathers under the chin and along the eyebrow. It can be distinguished by its rounded knob above the black bill, which is visible at distance. It has dark blue-black legs and red eyes. As its name suggests, it is noisy; one of its calls has been likened to "four o'clock".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Noisy Friarbird
Recorded by James Ray · Song · Faulconbridge, Blue Mountains City Council, New South Wales, Australia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Helmeted Friarbird and Noisy Friarbird.