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18

Red-headed Honeyeater

(Myzomela erythrocephala)
Alternate name(s): "Mangrove Red-head", "Bloodbird*", "Myzomela*"
Size: 11-13 cm; wing span 17-19 cm
Weight: 6-11 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Red-headed Honeyeater at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "erythrocephala"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, March 2018]

Frontal view of a preening male Red-headed Honeyeater; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 26 July 2018
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Near-frontal view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

Near-frontal view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Near-lateral view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Near Dripstone Cliffs, Darwin, NT, December 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Near Dripstone Cliffs, Darwin, NT, December 2017]

Dorsal view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Near Dripstone Cliffs, Darwin, NT, December 2017]

Ventral view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Frontal view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater at take-off (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

Stand-off between a male Red-headed Honeyeater and a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

White-throated Honeyeater gaining the upper hand against a male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

Female Red-headed Honeyeater hanging off a vine (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

Near-lateral view of a female Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tree Point Conservation Area, Shoal Bay, NT, March 2019]

Near-lateral view of a female Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

Lateral view of a female Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a female Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

Dorsal view of a female Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a juvenile male Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile female Red-headed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Food, Diet

Male Red-headed Honeyeater checking whether it is safe to feed...
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

... and here seen dipping into the flower of a mangrove
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Lateral view of a male Red-headed Honeyeater taking nectar from a flower - note the prominent red rump (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

Male Red-headed Honeyeater taking nectar from a flower (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, March 2018]

Female Red-headed Honeyeater taking nectar from flowering mangrove (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, November 2018]

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.

redhhon_20140816_2.m4a erythrocephala
(Darwin, NT)
Contact call © MD
redhhon_20140816_6.m4a erythrocephala
(Darwin, NT)
Contact call © MD
redhhon_20140816_3.m4a erythrocephala
(Darwin, NT)
Q&A © MD
redhhon_pb_20230509.mp3 erythrocephala
(Darwin, NT)
Competing for food source © PB
redhhon_20140816.m4a erythrocephala
(Darwin, NT)
Various © MD
redhhon_pb_20180726.m4a erythrocephala
(Darwin, NT)
? © PB

More Red-headed Honeyeater sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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.

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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.