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Mangrove Honeyeater
(Gavicalis fasciogularis)
: "Fasciated Honeyeater", "Scaly-throated Honeyeater", "Island Honeyeater"
Size: 18-21 cm
Weight: 22-33 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Mangrove Honeyeaters are small to medium-sized nectar-eating birds.
Their most prominent feature are conspicuous black eye stripes
above a yellow-grey scalloped throat and a white patch unter the
ear coverts. The chest is dark-grey, the belly is grey with some
darker brownish-grey streaking. The vent and undertail coverts
are grey.
The back is dark-grey; only the flight feathers have yellowish-olive
leading edges. The tail is grey. The irises are dark blue-grey. The
slightly down-curved bill is dark-grey, while the legs and feet are grey.
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Twitcher's tip |
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Compared with both Varied
Honeyeaters and Singing
Honeyeaters, Mangrove Honeyeaters are much greyer and darker.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Mangrove
Honeyeater at Wikipedia .
Click here for classification information
The classification of Australian honeyeater species, mainly
in the genus "Lichenostomus", has undergone a major revision,
with many species now moved into several newly defined genera
(Gavicalis, Stomiopera, Ptilotula, Nesoptilotis).
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Mangrove Honeyeater is available
HERE
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Mangrove Honeyeaters are endemic to eastern Australia.
They populate a narrow
strip along part of the East coast, from Townsville, QLD, southward to
northern NSW, just to the North of the Hunter River.
At the northern end of their range Mangrove Honeyeaters can hybridize
with Varied Honeyeaters.
Mangrove Honeyeaters have a preference for mangrove thickets. They are
also found in gardens.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
B. Hensen reports spotting Mangrove Honeyeaters in suburban Brisbane,
QLD, in January 2013.
B. Kinross reports spotting Mangrove Honeyeaters semi-regularly in
Beachmere, QLD, e.g. in April 2014, June 2014 and June 2015.
M. Eaton found a Mangrove Honeyeater at Inskip Point, QLD, in December
2017, another at Nudgee Beach, QLD, in February 2018, and one at
King Island, Moreton Bay, QLD, in January 2020.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Frontal view of a Mangrove Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, February 2018]
Frontal view of a Mangrove Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Inskip Point, QLD, December 2017]
Near-frontal view of a Mangrove Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, February 2018]
Near-lateral view of a Mangrove Honeyeater (photo courtesy of B. Kinross)
[Beachmere, QLD, April 2014]
Lateral view of a Mangrove Honeyeater, different posture (photo courtesy
of B. Kinross)
[Beachmere, QLD, June 2015]
Lateral view of a Mangrove Honeyeater (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Brisbane, QLD, January 2013]
Lateral view of a Mangrove Honeyeater issuing its call
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, February 2018]
Lateral/ventral view of a Mangrove Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[King Island, Moreton Bay, QLD, January 2020]
Dorsal view of a Mangrove Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Inskip Point, QLD, December 2017]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Frontal view of a juvenile Mangrove Honeyeater; note the absence
of dusky barring on the throat
(photo courtesy of B. Kinross)
[Beachmere, QLD, June 2014]
Lateral view of a juvenile Mangrove Honeyeater; note the
prominent olive tones (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Inskip Point, QLD, December 2017]
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.