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18

Silver-crowned Friarbird

(Philemon argenticeps)
Alternate name(s): "Silvery-crowned Friarbird"
Size: 28-32 cm
Weight: 65-105 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 Silver-crowned Friarbird at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "argenticeps"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Frontal view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, June 2014]

Near-frontal view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird looking down, thereby showing its name-giving silver crown
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Knuckey Lagoons, Darwin, NT, July 2013]

Near-frontal view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird issuing its call; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 9 April 2018
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Knuckey Lagoons, Darwin, NT, July 2013]

Near-frontal view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird "harvesting" cobwebs for binding its nest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]

Nosy Silver-crowned Friarbird studying the photographer (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Knuckey Lagoons, Darwin, NT, July 2013]

Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird issuing its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2020]

Close-up near-lateral/ventral view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2020]

Close-up near-lateral/ventral view of a preening Silver-crowned Friarbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a preening Silver-crowned Friarbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird issuing its call; note that the bird's casque is hidden behind leaves
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[McMinns Lagoon, near Darwin, NT, January 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-frontal view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird; this bird has many characteristics of an adult, such as a well-developed casque ("knob"), but still shows some faint yellow on the throat and scalloping on the wing coverts, indicating that it is still a sub-adult (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marlow's Lagoon, Palmerston, NT, December 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Silver-crowned Friarbird; this bird has many characteristics of an adult, such as a well-developed casque ("knob"), but still shows some faint yellow on the throat and scalloping on the wing coverts, indicating that it is still a sub-adult (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marlow's Lagoon, Palmerston, NT, December 2017]

Food, Diet

Silver-crowned Friarbird feeding on the nectar of a Grevillea (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Knuckey Lagoons, Darwin, NT, July 2013]

This Silver-crowned Friarbird... (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

... knows exactly where to look for water; note the conspicuous, name-giving silver crown (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 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.

silvfry_pb_20210924_3.m4a argenticeps
(Top End, NT)
Territorial calls? © PB
silvfry_pb_20210924.m4a argenticeps
(Top End, NT)
Territorial calls? (+ Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo) © PB
silvfry_pb_20180409.m4a argenticeps
(NE WA)
Warning/departure © PB
silvfry_20140816.mp3 argenticeps
(Darwin, NT)
Answering calls? © MD
silvfry_pb_20180414.m4a argenticeps
(Darwin, NT)
Feeding calls? © PB
silvfry_pb_20190116.m4a argenticeps
(Inland NT)
Various (adults + juveniles) © PB
silvfry_pb_20210924_2.m4a argenticeps
(Top End, NT)
? © PB

More Silver-crowned Friarbird 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.