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Purple-gaped Honeyeater
(Lichenostomus cratitius)
: "Wattle-cheeked Honey-eater", "Lilac-wattled Honeyeater"
Size: 16-19 cm
Weight: 19-23 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Purple-gaped Honeyeaters are small to medium-sized nectar-eating birds.
They have a yellowish throat and a grey whisp and a small yellow tuft
on the ear coverts. The top of the head is grey, with
darker grey patches around the eyes and on the ear coverts.
The rest of the front is pale-grey from chest to undertail coverts.
The back is greyish-olive, with greyish-brown flight feathers
with olive-green leading edges. The rump is dark-grey; the tail
is grey with some olive-green.
The irises are dark-brown. The slightly down-curved bill is black,
while the legs and feet are grey.
Juveniles
have duller colours and their gape is still yellow.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See
Purple-gaped Honeyeater at Wikipedia .
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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, 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 Purple-gaped Honeyeater is available
HERE
.
Purple-gaped Honeyeaters are endemic to southern Australia.
Nominate race
"cratitius" is found only on Kangaroo Island, near Adelaide, SA.
The continental race "occidentalis"
(formerly "halmaturina") has
two major populations. One resides in the southern parts of WA,
from the western edge of the Nullarbor, along the South coast, to
about Albany, WA. The other ranges from the eastern edge of the Nullarbor,
all through Eyre peninsula and south-eastern SA (except the very far
south-eastern tip, on the border to VIC) and the north-western quarter
of VIC, from just to the North of Melbourne to the border region of
VIC/SA and NSW. Occasional sightings in the Nullarbor indicate that
these two populations are still connected.
Purple-gaped Honeyeaters have a preference for
mallee and
woodland,
often with shrubby
undergrowth.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "cratitius"
J. Greaves reports spotting Purple-gaped Honeyeaters, nominate race
"cratitius",
in Flinders Chase NP, Kangaroo Island, SA, in March 2016.
Race "occidentalis"
R. Plumtree
reports spotting a Purple-gaped Honeyeater, continental race
"occidentalis",
between Berri and Renmark, SA, in September 2018.
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Photos |
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Race "cratitius"
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ADULT |
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Frontal view of a Purple-gaped Honeyeater (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Flinders Chase NP, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]
Near-frontal view of a Purple-gaped Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Flinders Chase NP, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]
Lateral view of a Purple-gaped Honeyeater; note the characteristic
purple skin patch on the gape, reaching from the base of the bill
to the ear covert (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Flinders Chase NP, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]
Race "occidentalis"
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ADULT |
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Dorsal view of a Purple-gaped Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Between Berri and Renmark, SA, September 2018]
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.