About the White-plumed Honeyeater
The white-plumed honeyeater is a medium sized passerine of the family Meliphagidae (honeyeaters) endemic to mainland Australia. Its key identifying characteristics are a primarily olive-grey body and yellow face, a slightly down-curved bill and its white distal neck-plumes from which it takes its name. White-Plumed Honeyeaters exhibit a preference for woodlands and riparian areas and have a very strong association with River Red Gums. They exhibit a small seasonal migration from ranges to lower areas in winter. Today the species is most commonly seen through Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, but is also found in regions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. They are…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Similar in appearance to the Yellow-plumed, Yellow-tinted, Fuscous and Grey-fronted Honeyeaters, the distinguishing feature of the White-plumed honeyeater is the distil white bands at its neck called neck-plumes. This is where its name is derived from with the species epithet penicillata deriving from the Modern Latin penicillatus meaning tufted or with brush-like tufts originating from the Latin word penicillus meaning a painter's brush. It is a medium-sized honeyeater with a yellowish head, pale grey-brown plumage below and yellowish-olive feathers on its back. Voice: Consist of a variety of songs depending on locality as well as chip calls, described as a sharp, shrill descending chip noise, whistles, twittering (when congregated) and alarm calls which again vary depending on region. Tend to be the most vocal in July through to August in the South, and most vocal in the afternoons.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the White-plumed Honeyeater sounds like
Where the White-plumed Honeyeater lives
When to see the White-plumed Honeyeater
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Fuscous HoneyeaterPtilotula fuscaThe fuscous honeyeater is dull grey-brown to olive-brown above with buffy-grey underparts.
Yellow-plumed HoneyeaterPtilotula ornataThe yellow-plumed honeyeater is a medium-sized honeyeater with a relatively long, down-curved black bill, a dark face and a distinctive, upswept yellow neck plume.
Yellow-tinted HoneyeaterPtilotula flavescensThe yellow-tinted honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae.
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