New Holland Honeyeater
The New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) is a boldly streaked black and white honeyeater with white eyes. Its bright yellow wing panel prompts the common name of "yellow-winged honeyeater". It has a black head with narrow white eyebrows and white whiskers and ear tufts. The bill is black, longish and curved.
It is commonly seen in banksia and grevillea locations, and also where eucalypts are flowering. A increasing number of these honeyeaters are now appearing with the maturing and blossoming young eucalypts at Urrbrae Wetland, and consequently are more frequent in the warmer months. They feed on nectar and insects, and are often seen catching insects on the wing. New holland honeyeaters are usually seen in colonies and are very vocal, continually calling to each other with sharp sounds, loud whistles and chatterings.
They nest throughout the year, usually in loose colonies. The young develop rapidly, taking only a month to fledge. There are 2-3 eggs in the nest which is a small rough cup of twigs, plant down and spider web, in the fork of a low dense shrub 1-3m from the ground. (Contributed by Jo G and Wen-Ai.)
25/06/2009
