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White-plumed HoneyeaterAlternate name(s): "Greenie", "Linner", "Chickoowee", "Ringeye", "Ringneck", "Australian Canary*" Size: 15-17 cm Body mass: 15-24 g |
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See
White-plumed Honeyeater at Wikipedia |
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Photos |
Race "penicillata"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater looking sideways;
note the clearly visible
passerine foothold
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
Frontal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater looking sideways
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Durikai SF, near Warwick, QLD, March 2018]
Close-up frontal view of an adult White-plumed Honeyeater looking
sideways; for some reason, this bird does not have a black plume
above its white one
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2024]
Close-up near-frontal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
looking at the observer
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2023]
Close-up near-frontal view of a preening White-plumed Honeyeater
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2023]
Near-frontal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater checking
its surroundings while drinking from a waterhole
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Close-up near-lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
looking towards the observer
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2025]
Near-lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
Close-up lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater looking at
the observer
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2024]
Close-up lateral portrait of a White-plumed Honeyeater
[Near Narrabri, NSW, June 2012]
Close-up lateral view of an erect White-plumed Honeyeater
[Near Narrabri, NSW, June 2012]
Close-up lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
[Near Narrabri, NSW, June 2012]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2011]
Close-up lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater with its
tongue sticking out
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2016]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater showing its wirebrush
tongue (no disrespect intended...)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2023]
Near-lateral and near-dorsal view of White-plumed Honeyeaters
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, July 2011]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2024]
Dorsal/ventral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater looking back
at the observer
[Pilliga Wetlands Walk, NSW, June 2024]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up frontal view of an immature White-plumed Honeyeater
looking sideways; the bill is starting to turn dark
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2026]
Near-lateral view of an immature White-plumed Honeyeater
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, March 2008]
Close-up lateral view of an immature White-plumed Honeyeater
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2026]
Lateral view of an immature White-plumed Honeyeater
that was fascinated by a piece of netting
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]
Near-dorsal view of an immature White-plumed Honeyeater
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, February 2016]
Dorsal view of a preening immature White-plumed Honeyeater
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, February 2016]
Frontal view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater looking sideways;
note the absence of a black plume and the orange-yellow bill with its
brownish tip
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Frontal view of a hunched juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
looking sideways
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2012]
Close-up near-frontal view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, February 2016]
Near-frontal view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
studying the photographer
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2012]
Close-up near-lateral view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
[January 2011]
Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, March 2008]
Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
having a drink
[O'Brien's Creek, Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2011]
Lateral view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
being fed by its parents
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2012]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2025]
Close-up dorsal view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater;
with its head down, the bird does not show a lot of distinctive
features to separate it from other species of honeyeaters
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2025]
Frontal view of a young juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater;
this is the precocial chick shown below that had left
its nest at least 3 days too early, now on day 11 out
of the nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2024]
Near-frontral view of a young juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater;
this is the precocial chick shown below that had left
its nest at least 3 days too early, now on day 11 out
of the nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2024]
Lateral/ventral view of two fledgling White-plumed Honeyeaters
[Near Narrabri, NSW, January 2017]
Ventral view of a fledgling White-plumed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Race "carteri"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of J.
Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, August 2016]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater (photo courtesy
of J. Greaves)
[Murchison River, near Ajana, WA, May 2018]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater (photo courtesy of J.
Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, August 2016]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater foraging in a casuarina tree (photo courtesy
of J. Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, January 2014]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater in a casuarina tree (photo courtesy
of J. Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, January 2014]
Race "leilavalensis"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Augusta, SA, June 2023]
Close-up near-lateral/ventral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cuttaburra Crossing, near Bedourie, QLD, August 2025]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater having a drink of water
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Isa, QLD, July 2026]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater feeding in a
eucalypt
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Yulara, NT, March 2015]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Isa, QLD, July 2021]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of an immature White-plumed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]
Lateral view of an immature White-plumed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]
Lateral view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Yulara, NT, March 2015]
Lateral view of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater feeding in a
eucalypt tree
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Yulara, NT, March 2015]
Lateral view of an upside-down juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater feeding in a
eucalypt
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Yulara, NT, March 2015]
Race "calconi"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal/ventral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater;
note the characteristic light-yellow head and otherwise pale
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[The Granites Gold Mine, inland NT, June 2015]
Near-lateral/ventral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[The Granites Gold Mine, inland NT, June 2015]
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Breeding information |
| Breeding season: Jun - Jan | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 14 days | Fledging age: ca. 15 days |
Given the right conditions, White-plumed Honeyeaters can breed any time of the year.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
| Type: Suspended basket | Material: Root fibres, grass stems, webs | Height above ground: 1 - 10 m |
White-plumed Honeyeaters usually hide their nests in the outer foliage of live trees, hanging near the end of drooping branches.
Near-lateral view of a precocial White-plumed Honeyeater
chick settling in for its first night out of the nest,
unable to fly yet - but it found a perch right on our
doorstep (it is not known where its parents spent the
night - not by its side!)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2024]
Near-dorsal view of the only White-plumed Honeyeater chick
out of a clutch of initially 3 eggs that either fell or
jumped out of its nest prematurely
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2024]
White-plumed Honeyeater chicks in their nest,
waiting to be fed
[Near Coonabarabran, NSW, November 2010]
As far as we could ascertain, out of a White-plumed Honeyeater
nest with 3 eggs shown below only one chick hatched (photo
taken with a mirror)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2024]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater on its well-hidden nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2024]
Close-up view of a well-hidden White-plumed Honeyeater nest
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, August 2024]
White-plumed Honeyeater nest in a drooping branch of a
eucalypt,
less than 2 m above a dirt track
[Near Coonabarabran, NSW, October 2015]
White-plumed Honeyeater nest in a slightly more open spot,
in between the as yet unripe fruit of a
White Cedar
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, 2005]
Close-up near-lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
carrying rootlets for its nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2012]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater
harvesting spider webs for binding its nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2024]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
| Size: 20 x 15 mm | Colour: Creamy, with chestnut speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
View from above into a White-plumed Honeyeater nest with
a full complement of 3 eggs inside
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2024]
Sideways view of the same White-plumed Honeyeater nest with
a full complement of 3 eggs inside
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2024]
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Behaviour |
| Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Dispersive/sedentary | Elementary unit: Solitary/pair/small mob |
White-plumed Honeyeaters are communal in the sense that they live in family clans. Clans as entities/ensembles, however, are territorial.
White-plumed Honeyeater on the attack - in this case going for the
eyes of a fledgling
Striped Honeyeater;
if successful, that would take care of the food competitor...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2024]
Young White-plumed Honeyeaters appear to always be squabbling
- and sometimes things go wrong; in this case a run-in with a
window pane while fighting would not have killed the bird -
but the ants would have (without the intervention of a
well-meaning friend)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2026]
White-plumed Honeyeaters are one of the species that like a good splash every day; however, they do not only use shallow bowls or puddles for taking their bath - instead they fly from perches onto the surface of standing water fluttering their wings, just touching the surface and getting half-emersed before taking off back again to the perch.
Distant lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater flying
in for a bath
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, April 2006]
White-plumed Honeyeater making a splash; it is normal for birds of
this species to fully immerse themselves before flying back to
their perches soaking wet; they will repeat this up to about 10 times
[O'Brien's Creek, Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2013]
Close-up lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater drying its
plumage after
taking a bath
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, March 2024]
Close-up lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater basking
in the sun after taking a bath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2024]
Close-up lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater basking
in the sun after taking a bath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2024]
Ventral view of three White-plumed Honeyeaters settling a
dispute high up in the sky
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2014]
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Food, Diet |
| Adults: Nectar, insects | Dependents: Insects | Water intake: Daily |
Like many other honeyeaters, White-plumed Honeyeaters do not exclusively feed on nectar, but take insects too.
Close-up lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater taking nectar from
a Callistemon
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2025]
View onto the upperparts of a juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater
feeding head-down on the nectar of a
Callistemon
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, December 2005]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater with its prey, a
relatively large flying insect
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2023]
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Additional information |
There is a separate page with a short description of psyllids and lerps.
Near-frontal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater taking a
psyllid
from the underside of a
eucalypt leaf
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2013]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater taking
psyllids and lerps
from the underside of a
eucalypt leaf
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater taking a
psyllid with lerp
head down from the underside of a
eucalypt leaf
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2013]
Frontal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater lapping up water
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Close-up view of a White-plumed Honeyeater drinking water
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2026]
Near-frontal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater scooping up water
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater having a drink
from a muddy waterhole
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Timmallallie NP,
NSW, November 2018]
Close-up lateral view of an immature White-plumed Honeyeater
approaching a waterhole
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2026]
Near-dorsal view of a White-plumed Honeyeater drinking water from
a lake
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, January 2024]
Lateral view of a White-plumed Honeyeater visiting a bird bath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2023]
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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.
| wplume_20241215.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Contact call(?) | © MD | |
| wplume_20200516.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Contact call(?) | © MD | |
| wplume_20170802_2.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Contact calls(?) | © MD | |
| wplume_20190618.m4a |
penicillata (SW QLD) |
Territorial song (male display flight) | © MD | |
| wplume_20171209.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Territorial call (break of dawn) | © MD | |
| wplume_20200718_2.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls (break of dawn) | © MD | |
| wplume_20211016.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls (break of dawn) | © MD | |
| wplume_20200718.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls (break of dawn) | © MD | |
| wplume_20180419.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Warning/alarm calls | © MD | |
| wplume_20200531.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls (Peregrine Falcon) | © MD | |
| wplume_20190321.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls (Grey Butcherbird) | © MD | |
| wplume_20200718_4.m4a |
penicillata (W NSW) |
Alarm calls (Laughing Kookaburra) | © MD | |
| wplume_20260717.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Aerial predator alarm calls | © MD | |
| wplume_20210320.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Aerial predator alarm calls (mob) | © MD | |
| wplume_20260601.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Aerial predator alarm calls (mob) | © MD | |
| wplume_20200609.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls | © MD | |
| wplume_20210121.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Feeding calls | © MD | |
| wplume_20191027.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Feeding calls | © MD | |
| wplume_20180105.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
(Food competition) | © MD | |
| wplume_20200718_3.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Various (break of dawn) | © MD | |
| wplume_20221226.mp3 |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
? + alarm calls | © MD | |
| wplume_20241215_2.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (juvenile; quick) | © MD | |
| wplume_20241215_5.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (juvenile; slow) | © MD | |
| wplume_20241207.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (nestling) | © MD | |
| wplume_20221226_2.mp3 |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
? | © MD | |
| wplume_20220206.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
? | © MD | |
| wplume_me_20250809_2.m4a |
leilavalensis (SW QLD) |
Alarm calls | © ME | |
| wplume_me_20250809.m4a |
leilavalensis (SW QLD) |
Warning calls | © ME | |
| wplume_jg_20160806.m4a |
carteri (Ctl WA) |
Contact call | © JG | |
| wplume_jg_20160806_2.m4a |
carteri (Ctl WA) |
Contact call Q&A | © JG | |
| wplume_jg_20160803.m4a |
carteri (Ctl WA) |
Upset/fighting | © JG | |
| wplume_jg_20160806_3.m4a |
carteri (Ctl WA) |
Feeding/begging calls | © JG |
We have also recorded the wing beat of a (wet) White-plumed Honeyeater, flying back to its perch after dipping into water.
| wplume_20240322.m4a |
penicillata (NW NSW) |
Dipping into water & departure | © MD |
More White-plumed 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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