Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata ssp.carunculata)
Innes NP, Yorke Peninsula, SA
A large, noisy wattlebird, common across southern Australia, the Red Wattlebird is a conspicuous forest bird which often makes its presence known with harsh, grating squawks. It is easy to recognise by its red facial wattles and lemon-yellow patch on its belly.
Three subspecies are recognised in Australia - the nominate form occurs from SA east to SE Queensland. Ssp. clelandii is endemic to Kangaroo Island and ssp.woodwardii is the form found in Western Australia. The species is absent from Tasmania, where it replaced by the Yellow Wattlebird.
Three subspecies are recognised in Australia - the nominate form occurs from SA east to SE Queensland. Ssp. clelandii is endemic to Kangaroo Island and ssp.woodwardii is the form found in Western Australia. The species is absent from Tasmania, where it replaced by the Yellow Wattlebird.
Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera)
Victor Harbor, SA
As its name suggests, this just about the smallest of Australia's four Anthochaera species - the Western Wattlebird, which was formerly considered a western race of the Little Wattlebird, is actually very slightly smaller!
The Little Wattlebird is a distinctly grey species with few distinctive markings. Despite its scientific name, it does not have any golden markings on its wings, although they are tinged with red-brown. The most conspicuous marking is on the tail, where the feathers are white-tipped. Sadly, they aren't visible in this photo.
The Little Wattlebird is widespread along the coast of Australia, from the Eyre Peninsula in SA to north of the Gold Coast in southern Queensland. A separate subspecies occurs in Tasmania.
The Little Wattlebird is a distinctly grey species with few distinctive markings. Despite its scientific name, it does not have any golden markings on its wings, although they are tinged with red-brown. The most conspicuous marking is on the tail, where the feathers are white-tipped. Sadly, they aren't visible in this photo.
The Little Wattlebird is widespread along the coast of Australia, from the Eyre Peninsula in SA to north of the Gold Coast in southern Queensland. A separate subspecies occurs in Tasmania.
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis)
Monarto CP, SA
This medium-sized honeyeater has one of the widest distributions of the family in Australia, and can be found be almost anywhere except the far south-west of WA and the northern tropics.
Identification of this species is fairly easy, although these poor photos don't help much! The Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater has a prominent patch of pink skin extending under the eye, making the bird look like it has a large pair of lips from a distance! Its throat is a warm beige colour and in flight the white rump is easily-seen.
This bird's common name derives from the bristly feathers on its cheeks, while the scientific name describes the buff-coloured throat.
Identification of this species is fairly easy, although these poor photos don't help much! The Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater has a prominent patch of pink skin extending under the eye, making the bird look like it has a large pair of lips from a distance! Its throat is a warm beige colour and in flight the white rump is easily-seen.
This bird's common name derives from the bristly feathers on its cheeks, while the scientific name describes the buff-coloured throat.
Singing Honeyeater (Lichenostomus virescens ssp.sonorus)
Granite Island CP, South Australia
Port Campbell NP, Victoria
The various races of this pretty species cover almost the entirety of Australia, except the driest deserts, Cape York and Tasmania.
The eastern race is called sonorus and is most frequent in a region extending north-east from Adelaide.
The Singing Honeyeater is easy to identify, despite the different races. Its most obvious feature is the pair of black and yellow stripes over and below the eye. Its breast is streaked greyish-brown and the wings and tail are olive-brown but with a distinct yellow tinge.
As its name suggests, this species has a sweet, melodic song.
The eastern race is called sonorus and is most frequent in a region extending north-east from Adelaide.
The Singing Honeyeater is easy to identify, despite the different races. Its most obvious feature is the pair of black and yellow stripes over and below the eye. Its breast is streaked greyish-brown and the wings and tail are olive-brown but with a distinct yellow tinge.
As its name suggests, this species has a sweet, melodic song.
White-eared Honeyeater (LIchenostomus leucotis ssp.novaenorciae)
Pinkawillinie CP, Eyre Peninsula, SA
The White-Eared Honeyeater is a fairly widespread species of coastal Australia, although it ranges further inland in Western Australia. The nominate subspecies is found in Victoria and eastwards up the coast as far as southern Queensland. Ssp.novaenorciae is slightly smaller and duller; it favours more arid habitats and occurs on the landward side of the Great Dividing Range, from central Queensland across to Western Australia.
The White-eared Honeyeater has an obvious tuft of white feathers behind the eye, which is made all the more prominent by its black head and chin. The rest of the bird is a warm yellowish-olive colour.
The White-eared Honeyeater has an obvious tuft of white feathers behind the eye, which is made all the more prominent by its black head and chin. The rest of the bird is a warm yellowish-olive colour.
Grey-fronted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus plumulus)
Telowie Gorge CP, Flinders Ranges, SA
Despite its common name, the most obvious feature of this small honeyeater is the yellow, crescent-shaped mark above the shoulder, which has an inner black margin. The underparts are strongly-streaked and the uppersides are a typical grey-olive colour.
The similar Yellow-fronted Honeyeater has more extensively olive wings and the yellow crescent is much more narrow and extends above the eye.
The Grey-fronted Honeyeater is a bird of arid Australia and is rather uncommon - I feel lucky to have seen it and had such a good view.
The similar Yellow-fronted Honeyeater has more extensively olive wings and the yellow crescent is much more narrow and extends above the eye.
The Grey-fronted Honeyeater is a bird of arid Australia and is rather uncommon - I feel lucky to have seen it and had such a good view.
Tawny-crowned Honeyeater (Phylidonyris melanops)
Monarto CP, SA
Open heathland is the favoured habitat of this southern species, although it is also found in more wooded areas.
As its common name suggests, it has a diagnostic brown cap, and also has a bold black stripe extending from the base of the bill down to the shoulders., with a very narrow white ear patch. No other honeyeater shares these features, making this species an easy one to identify.
The Tawny-crowned Honeyeater can be found across southern Australia apart from along the Nullarbor Plain. A separate subspecies is found in Tasmania.
As its common name suggests, it has a diagnostic brown cap, and also has a bold black stripe extending from the base of the bill down to the shoulders., with a very narrow white ear patch. No other honeyeater shares these features, making this species an easy one to identify.
The Tawny-crowned Honeyeater can be found across southern Australia apart from along the Nullarbor Plain. A separate subspecies is found in Tasmania.
New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidornis novaehollandiae ssp.novaehollandiae)
Montacute, Adelaide Hills, SA
Where I lived, in the Adelaide Hills, this was by far the most obvious and common honeyeater in the garden. Its silvery-white eyes give it a slightly menacing appearance, but the black and yellow plumage makes it an attractive species nonetheless.
This widespread species is similar to the White-cheeked Honeyeater (although the latter does not occur in SA, Vic or Tas) but can be distinguished by its white-tipped tail, iris colour and blacker face, with white only occurring in small patches.
This widespread species is similar to the White-cheeked Honeyeater (although the latter does not occur in SA, Vic or Tas) but can be distinguished by its white-tipped tail, iris colour and blacker face, with white only occurring in small patches.