|
|
|
Black-headed Honeyeater
(Melithreptus affinis)
: "King Island Honeyeater",
"Black-capped Honeyeater", "Black Cap"
Size: 14-15 cm (male), 12-14 cm (female)
Weight: 13-17 g
|
|
 |
Similar species |
|
 |
Physical description |
|
Click here for a physical description
Black-headed Honeyeaters are very small nectar-eating birds.
Except for small creamy-white arches of skin above the
eyes, their entire head, plus the neck and shoulders, are
black. There is NO white neck band. The rest of the front,
from the breast down to the undertail coverts, is light-grey.
The back and rump are olive-grey. The wings are dark-grey,
the uppertail is also dark-grey, while the undertail is
light-grey. The irises are dark. The short, slightly down-curved
bill is black, while the legs and feet are the colour
of skin.
Juveniles
have a brownish head. The eye skin is bluish-white
and base of the bill is yellowish.
|
 |
Taxonomy, classification |
|
See
Black-headed Honeyeater at Wikipedia .
|
 |
Range, habitat, finding this species |
|
Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Black-headed Honeyeater is available
HERE
.
Black-headed Honeyeaters are endemic to Tasmania and smaller
islands
along Bass Strait. In Tasmania they are found along the
North coast and the eastern half, except a small area to
the South of Launceston, but including all the smaller
islands
along the South-east coast. They only occasionally enter
the peaks of the central highlands and basically never
stay on the wet western side of the divide.
In addition, they also occur on the three small
islands
near the north-western tip of Tasmania and King
Island. They are also found on Flinders Island, but not on
either Cape Barren Island or Clarke Island.
Black-headed Honeyeaters have a preference for mature
forest,
in particular for dense growth within these
forests.
|
 |
Sightings |
|
Click here for sighting information
B. Hensen reports spotting Black-headed Honeyeaters both on Bruny
Island, TAS, and in the Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS,
in March 2016.
M. Eaton found a Black-headed Honeyeater at Mt. Nelson, Hobart,
TAS, in April 2021, and at both Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston,
TAS, and Margate, Kingborough, TAS, in September 2021.
|
 |
Photos |
|
 |
ADULT |
|
Frontal view of a Black-headed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, September 2021]
Frontal view of a Black-headed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]
Near-frontal view of 3 Black-headed Honeyeaters
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]
Lateral view of a Black-headed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, March 2016]
Lateral/ventral view of a Black-headed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mt. Nelson, Hobart, TAS, April 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a Black-headed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, March 2016]
Near-dorsal view of 3 Black-headed Honeyeaters
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]
Ventral view of a Black-headed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, March 2016]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.