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Dusky HoneyeaterSize: 12-15 cm Weight: 10-15 g |
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Photos |
Race "obscura"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong, Adelaide River, Mary River NP, Top End, NT, November 2019]
Near-frontal view of a Dusky Honeyeater taking nectar
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Near-lateral view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Near-lateral view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Dusky Honeyeater with its tongue sticking out
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Dusky Honeyeater on the point of departure
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Dorsal view of a Dusky Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle
Nature Park, Darwin, NT, February 2018]
Ventral view of a Dusky Honeyeater taking nectar from a flower
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Dusky Honeyeater acrobatics - "the things you do for a bit of nectar"...
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-frontal view of a juvenile Dusky Honeyeater; note the
pale gape
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Near-frontal view of a juvenile Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Lateral view of a juvenile Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Dusky Honeyeater; this is the bird whose
calls were recorded
on 30 May 2019
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2019]
Near-frontal/ventral view of two juvenile Dusky Honeyeaters;
these are the birds whose calls were recorded on 4 June 2020
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Race "harterti"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, July 2013]
Frontal view of a Dusky Honeyeater looking sideways
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, May 2020]
Close-up near-frontal view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Yungaburra, QLD, August 2023]
Near-frontal view of a Dusky Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, August 2019]
Near-frontal view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]
Near-frontal view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]
Near-lateral/ventral view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, May 2020]
Close-up ventral view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]
Near-lateral/ventral view of a Dusky Honeyeater
[Byfield NP,
QLD, July 2009]
Lateral view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gunshot Creek, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]
Lateral view of a Dusky Honeyeater, face full of
pollen(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, July 2013]
Lateral view of a peculiar Dusky Honeyeater that is either
sick or in a full head moult
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, May 2020]
Near-dorsal view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, May 2020]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cairns, QLD, July 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a juvenile Dusky Honeyeater looking sideways;
note the orange gape
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Kuranda, QLD, May 2019]
Frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Dusky Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gunshot Creek, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]
Dusky Honeyeater feeding on nectar; the remnant yellowish gape
and the tapered length of the tail feathers may indicate that
this is a juvenile bird (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, Marh 2011]
Dusky Honeyeater showing its sticky tongue; the yellowish gape
may indicate that this is a juvenile bird
[Byfield NP,
QLD, July 2009]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jul - Mar | Eggs: 2 | Incubation period: 12 - 13 days | Fledging age: ca. 14 days |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Suspended basket | Material: Rootlets, bark fibre, dry grass, webs | Height above ground: 2 - 15 m |
Dusky Honeyeater nest with at least one downy chick inside
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Gurambai Walking Trail, Darwin Airport, Darwin, NT, February 2022]
Dusky Honeyeater feeding a chick
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Gurambai Walking Trail, Darwin Airport, Darwin, NT, February 2022]
Dusky Honeyeater at its nest after feeding a chick
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Gurambai Walking Trail, Darwin Airport, Darwin, NT, February 2022]
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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: Off-white, with chestnut to rufous speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Food, Diet |
Close-up view of a Dusky Honeyeater taking nectar from flowers
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Yungaburra, QLD, August 2023]
Dusky Honeyeater feeding on the nectar of a flower
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, July 2013]
Dusky Honeyeater taking nectar from a flower
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Dusky Honeyeater taking nectar from a flower
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Dusky Honeyeater taking prey
from a spider's web
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 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.
duskhon_pb_20191023.m4a |
obscura (Darwin, NT) |
Territorial call(?) | © PB | |
duskhon_pb_20190530_2.m4a |
obscura (Darwin, NT) |
Contact call(?), juvenile | © PB | |
duskhon_pb_20190530.m4a |
obscura (Darwin, NT) |
Contact calls(?), juvenile | © PB | |
duskhon_pb_20200604.m4a |
obscura (Darwin, NT) |
Begging calls, juvenile | © PB | |
duskhon_pb_20200614.m4a |
obscura (Darwin, NT) |
? | © PB |
More Dusky Honeyeater sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.