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Brown HoneyeaterAlternate name(s): "Least Honeyeater" ![]() Size: 12-16 cm; wing span 18-23 cm Weight: 9-11 g |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Race "indistincta"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
Close-up frontal/ventral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2023]
Near-lateral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Balingup, WA, May 2016]
Lateral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage in a flowering
eucalypt
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2023]
Most Brown Honeyeaters have a clearly visible pale-yellow skin
patch behind the eyes (above), while some others don't show
this feature
(photos courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2020]
Lateral/ventral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage; note
that the bird is ringed
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, December 2017]
Close-up dorsal view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
looking sideways
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2023]
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NON-BREEDING |
Near-frontal view of a Brown Honeyeater, possibly a male in non-breeding
plumage(?) - note the faint
yellow gape and grey crown; this is the bird whose
calls were recorded
on 25 February 2018 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, February 2018]
Close-up lateral view of a Brown Honeyeater, possibly a male in non-breeding
plumage(?)
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Whites Hill Reserve, Brisbane, February 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Brown Honeyeater, possibly a male in non-breeding
plumage(?)
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Dorsal view of a Brown Honeyeater, possibly a male in non-breeding
plumage(?)
[Darwin, NT, August 2014]
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FEMALE |
Near-lateral view of a female Brown Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, February 2018]
Near-lateral view of a female Brown Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, February 2018]
Lateral view of a female Brown Honeyeater harvesting a spider's
web, probably for binding its
nest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, February 2018]
Lateral view of a female Brown Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Ivanhoe Crossing, Kununurra, WA, January 2016]
Dorsal view of a female Brown Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, February 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-frontal view of a juvenile Brown Honeyeater; note the yellow
gape and the olive-yellow wash
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]
Lateral view of a juvenile(?) Brown Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Charles Darwin NP, Darwin, NT, January 2019]
Lateral view of a juvenile(?) Brown Honeyeater
[Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Lateral view of a juvenile Brown Honeyeater; note the
extensive yellow gape (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Race "ocularis"
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
look here .
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
Frontal view of a male Brown Honeyeater in its little hideaway
[Narrabri Lake, May 2012]
Frontal view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
looking sideways
[Near Narrabri, NSW, October 2010]
Near-frontal view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
[Narrabri Lake, September 2011]
Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage; note the
unusual yellow stripe down the middle of the belly
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cairns, QLD, July 2018]
Near-lateral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Cairns, QLD, July 2013]
Lateral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
looking at the observer
[Eulah Creek, July 2011]
Lateral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
[Narrabri Lake, September 2011]
Close-up lateral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cairns, QLD, July 2018]
Lateral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, August 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2011]
Dorsal view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, September 2013]
Lateral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in breeding
plumage
launching itself into the air from a
Banksia flower
(photo courtesy of
I. Duncan)
[South West Rocks, NSW, September 2012]
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NON-BREEDING |
Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Brown Honeyeater in non-breeding
plumage(?)
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, March 2007]
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FEMALE |
Frontal view of a female Brown Honeyeater; note the pale-yellow gape
in the breeding season (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, September 2018]
Close-up near-frontal view of a female Brown Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooroy, QLD, December 2017]
Near-lateral view of a female Brown Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Chili Beach, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]
This Brown Honeyeater is going into all kinds of contortions to dry its
plumage
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Near-dorsal view of a female Brown Honeyeater looking sideways
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2023]
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PAIR |
Near-frontal/near-lateral view of a pair of Brown Honeyeaters,
male on the left in breeding
plumage
[Eulah Creek, July 2023]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Brown Honeyeater;
note the yellow-olive wash
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2021]
Lateral view of a juvenile Brown Honeyeater
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2021]
Lateral view of a juvenile Brown Honeyeater
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2018]
Race "melvillensis"
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ADULT |
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FEMALE |
Lateral view of a female Brown Honeyeater (photo courtesy
of J. Greaves)
[Maxwell Creek, Melville Island, off Darwin, NT, November 2016]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jun - Jan | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: ca. 11 days | Fledging age: 12 - 14 days |
The breeding season varies with geographical latitude. In the tropical north it runs from about April to November.
Nest building: ? | Incubation: Female | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Suspended basket | Material: Bark shreds, grass stems, webs; plant down lining | Height above ground: 1 - 5 m |
Fledgling Brown Honeyeater the day before it left its nest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, July 2017]
Two half-naked Brown Honeyeater chicks in their nest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, July 2017]
Although still half-naked, the Brown Honeyeater chicks can open
their eyes (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, July 2017]
View from above into the nest of a pair of Brown Honeyeaters, with
two half-naked chicks inside; the key tag gives an indication of the
size of nest and chicks (photo courtesy of R. Shepherd)
[Bundaberg, QLD, October 2015]
Unhappy Brown Honeyeater watching as an human approaches their nest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, July 2017]
Female Brown Honeyeater sitting on its nest (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, October 2012]
Female Brown Honeyeater with what looks like nesting material (photo
courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, May 2013]
Female Brown Honeyeater "harvesting" cob webs for binding the nest
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2013]
We once observed a Brown Honeyeater pulling sheep wool from a barbed wire fence to line its nest.
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 17 x 14 mm | Colour: Creamy | Shape: Tapered oval |
View from above onto Brown Honeyeater eggs (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, October 2012]
View from above onto Brown Honeyeater eggs (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, July 2017]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Solitary/pair |
Brown Honeyeaters can feed while hovering (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2012]
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Food, Diet |
Like many other honeyeaters, Brown Honeyeaters do not exclusively feed on nectar, but take insects too. This is one of the honeyeaters that will feed mostly on nectar. Often seen by us in various kinds of eucalypt, e.g. mugga ironbark and citriodora. They profit from the creation of urban gardens and parks.
Brown Honeyeater feeding on the nectar of eucalypt blossoms
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2011]
Male Brown Honeyeater feeding on the nectar of an ironbark eucalypt
flower
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2008]
Male Brown Honeyeater feeding in a bottlebrush tree (photo courtesy
of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, October 2012]
Male Brown Honeyeater feeding in a Mistletoe
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, March 2013]
Female Brown Honeyeater feeding in a Grevillea robusta
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2013]
Female Brown Honeyeater feeding in a Grevillea
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, July 2013]
Male Brown Honeyeater feeding on the nectar of a
mangrove
flower (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, December 2017]
Male Brown Honeyeater feeding on the nectar of a Strelitza flower
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2012]
Male Brown Honeyeater taking unripe seeds of a bottlebrush (photo courtesy
of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, October 2011]
This Brown Honeyeater was observed picking insects out of the
heads of reeds - and going after them when they flew out
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2017]
Brown Honeyeater with what looks like a tiny caterpillar
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, August 2017]
Male Brown Honeyeater drinking from a pond; the birds drink in
quick, small sips and do not dip their bills as deep into the
water as other species
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2009]
Brown Honeyeater shooting out of a tree to take a moth
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2013]
This Brown Honeyeater was observed by us hawking for insects some
20 or 30 m up in the air
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2015]
Brown Honeyeater, left, and
Fuscous Honeyeater
in breeding plumage
at a waterhole
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
near Narrabri, NSW, October 2018]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
brhon_pb_20180512.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
Territorial call (early morning) | © PB | |
brhon_pb_20180513.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
Territorial calls (early morning) | © PB | |
brhon_20140818_5.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
Territorial call | © MD | |
brhon_cp_20220823.mp3 |
indistincta (SW WA) |
Territorial calls | © CP | |
brhon_pb_20180726.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
Territorial calls (long sequence) | © PB | |
brhon_pb_20200612.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
Break of dawn calls | © PB | |
brhon_20140818_5.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
Territorial dispute? | © MD | |
brhon_pb_20180225_1.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
Various (female) | © PB | |
brhon_pb_20180225_2.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
Various (female) | © PB | |
brhon_20140818_3.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
? | © MD | |
brhon_20140818.m4a |
indistincta (Top End, NT) |
? | © MD | |
brhon_20230726.mp3 |
ocularis (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls | © MD | |
brhon_20200824.m4a |
ocularis (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls | © MD | |
brhon_art_20131105.m4a |
ocularis (SE QLD) |
Territorial calls | © ART | |
brhon_20161026.m4a |
ocularis (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls (Q&A) | © MD | |
brhon_20140416.mp3 |
ocularis (NW NSW) |
Feeding call | © MD | |
brhon_20140722.mp3 |
ocularis (NW NSW) |
Annoyed call | © MD | |
brhon_art_20131110.m4a |
ocularis (SE QLD) |
Defending food source | © ART | |
brhon_20140107_2.mp3 |
ocularis (NW NSW) |
Defending food source | © MD | |
brhon_20160920.m4a |
ocularis (NE NSW) |
Various | © MD | |
brhon_20140911.mp3 |
ocularis (NW NSW) |
? | © MD |

We have also recorded the wing beat of a Brown Honeyeater.
brhon_20230726_2.mp3 |
ocularis (NW NSW) |
Arrival and departure | © MD |
More Brown Honeyeater sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.