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White-throated Honeyeater (Melithreptus albogularis) Alternate name(s): "White-chinned Honeyeater" Size: 13-15 cm Body mass: 10-13 g

Australia: Family Group 18 Family Group 18 Table Yellow Wattlebird Red Wattlebird Little Wattlebird Western Wattlebird Regent Honeyeater Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Striped Honeyeater Helmeted Friarbird Silver-crowned Friarbird Noisy Friarbird Little Friarbird Blue-faced Honeyeater Bell Miner Yellow-throated Miner Noisy Miner Macleay's Honeyeater Tawny-breasted Honeyeater Yellow-spotted Honeyeater Graceful Honeyeater Lewin's Honeyeater Yellow-faced Honeyeater Bridled Honeyeater Eungella Honeyeater Singing Honeyeater Mangrove Honeyeater Varied Honeyeater White-lined Honeyeater Kimberley Honeyeater White-gaped Honeyeater Yellow Honeyeater White-eared Honeyeater Yellow-throated Honeyeater Yellow-tufted Honeyeater Purple-gaped Honeyeater Grey-headed Honeyeater Yellow-plumed Honeyeater Grey-fronted Honeyeater Fuscous Honeyeater Yellow-tinted Honeyeater White-plumed Honeyeater Green-backed Honeyeater Brown Honeyeater Bar-breasted Honeyeater Brown-backed Honeyeater Rufous-throated Honeyeater Grey Honeyeater Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Rufous-banded Honeyeater White-streaked Honeyeater New Holland Honeyeater White-cheeked Honeyeater Crescent Honeyeater White-fronted Honeyeater Painted Honeyeater Black-chinned Honeyeater White-throated Honeyeater Strong-billed Honeyeater White-naped Honeyeater Brown-headed Honeyeater Black-headed Honeyeater Eastern Spinebill Western Spinebill Banded Honeyeater Black Honeyeater Pied Honeyeater Scarlet Honeyeater Red-headed Honeyeater Dusky Honeyeater Garden Sunbird Gibberbird Crimson Chat Orange Chat Yellow Chat White-fronted Chat Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description White-throated Honeyeaters are very small nectar-eating birds. Their front, from the throat down to the undertail coverts, is all-white. Only on the shoulders there are small black patches connecting to the black head and neck. They have a white band across the nape of the neck and whitish skin patches above the eyes. The back is olive-green with a brown tint. The flight feathers are dark-grey, with a narrow olive leading edge. The irises are dark-brown. The slightly down-curved bill is black, while the legs and feet are the colour of skin. Juveniles have a more brownish crown and a yellowish base of the lower mandible.

Taxonomy, classification See White-throated Honeyeater at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species 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 White-throated Honeyeater is available HERE . White-throated Honeyeaters are found in Australia and in New Guinea. There are two races of White-throated Honeyeaters in Australia. Together they populate a wide coastal fringe along the North and East coast of the continent. The range of nominate race albogularis extends from the Kimberley in WA, through the tropical Top End of the NT, along the South coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria to Cape York peninsula (up to a line connecting about Mt. Isa and Cape Melville). The range of endemic race "inopinatus" extends from about the base of Cape York peninsula southwards along the QLD coast and ranges, just reaching the NSW North coast. From about Brisbane, QLD, southwards they are found only along the coastal fringe. White-throated Honeyeaters can be found in various types of woodland.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "albogularis" R. Russell reports finding a White-throated Honeyeater, race albogularis, at Mount Molloy, QLD, in March 2009. This location is at the south-eastern end of the race's range. We first spotted White-throated Honeyeaters, nominate race albogularis, in various locations in the Top End of the NT in August 2014, e.g. in Darwin and in Pine Creek. Various contributors also report finding White-throated Honeyeaters, nominate race albogularis, in various locations around the Top End of the NT regularly. M. Eaton, P. Brown & T. Tarrant found a pair of White-throated Honeyeaters, nominate race albogularis, with a nest containing a brood of chicks at Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, in July 2020. M. Mearns found a White-throated Honeyeater, race albogularis, near Croydon, WA, in July 2016. J. Greaves reports spotting White-throated Honeyeaters, race albogularis, at Ivanhoe Crossing, Kununurra, WA, in January 2016, and on Tiwi Island, NT, in September 2016. M. Eaton reports finding a White-throated Honeyeater, race albogularis, at Lakefield NP and Loyalty Beach, Cape York peninsula, QLD, in August 2019. Others were found at Artemis Station, Cape York peninsula, QLD, in June 2024. Next, they were found at the Victoria River Roadhouse, NT, in June 2026. Race "inopinatus" A. Ross-Taylor reports spotting White-throated Honeyeaters, race "inopinatus", at Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, in March 2012. L. Tonnochy reports spotting a pair of White-throated Honeyeaters, race "inopinatus", 20 km West of Townsville, QLD, in September 2012. A. Campbell spotted a White-throated Honeyeater, race "inopinatus", at Mount McEuen, QLD, in February 2017. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours found a White-throated Honeyeater, race "inopinatus", at Mareeba, QLD, in March 2020.

Photos

Race "albogularis"

ADULT

PAIR

Pair of White-throated Honeyeaters; they were observed with the young bird shown below
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Sex unknown

Full-frontal view of an adult White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Close-up near-frontal view of a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marrakai track, Top End, NT, August 2018]

Near-frontal view of a White-throated Honeyeater looking sideways (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Charles Darwin NP, Darwin, NT, February 2018]

Near-frontal view of a White-throated Honeyeater issuing its call (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marrakai track, Top End, NT, August 2018]

Lateral view of a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Charles Darwin NP, Darwin, NT, February 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Loyalty Beach, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

White-throated Honeyeater seen from above (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Jingili Water Gardens, Darwin, NT, March 2018]

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

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

Lateral view of a moulting White-throated Honeyeater
[Adelaide River, NT, August 2014]

Lateral view of a White-throated Honeyeater looking for food (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Lateral view of a White-throated Honeyeater raiding a spider's nest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Partly obscured near-dorsal view of a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Ivanhoe Crossing, Kununurra, WA, January 2016]

Dorsal/ventral view of a White-throated Honeyeater looking sideways (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, March 2009]

Lateral view of a White-throated Honeyeater on the point of take-off (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2019]

Near-frontal view of a White-throated Honeyeater in hovering flight (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Stand-off between a White-throated Honeyeater and a male Red-headed 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]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Note that, contrary to drawings in several field guides, juvenile White-throated Honeyeaters do not have a white skin patch above the eyes. The skin is an inconspicuous (often dark) grey.

Near-frontal view of a juvenile White-throated Honeyeater; this bird was observed with the pair shown above
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile White-throated Honeyeater; note the orange-yellow lower mandible and the brownish crown
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile White-throated Honeyeater; note that the skin patch above the eye is near-invisible
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Knuckey Lagoon, Darwin, NT, June 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile White-throated Honeyeater; here the characteristic brown crown and incomplete neck band are more clearly visible
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Lateral view of a juvenile White-throated Honeyeater
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Lateral view of a juvenile White-throated Honeyeater, left, with an adult, right (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Tiwi Island, NT, September 2016]

Ventral view of a juvenile White-throated Honeyeater in flight
[Pine Creek, NT, August 2014]

White-throated Honeyeater feeding its recently fledged chicks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

White-throated Honeyeater feeding its recently fledged chicks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

White-throated Honeyeater with its recently fledged chicks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

White-throated Honeyeater near its recently fledged chicks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Race "inopinatus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a White-throated Honeyeater looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Forest Reserve, near Anstead, QLD, August 2017]

Near-frontal view of a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Forest Reserve, near Anstead, QLD, August 2017]

Near-lateral view of a White-throated Honeyeater looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, February 2017]

Close-up lateral view of a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, in March 2012]

Lateral view of a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, March 2012]

Lateral view of a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Mareeba, QLD, March 2020]

Dorsal view of a White-throated Honeyeater (photo courtesy of L. Tonnochy)
[Near Townsville, QLD, September 2012]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jul - Dec

Eggs: 2

Incubation period: 13 - 15(?) days

Fledging age: 14 - 16(?) days

Given the right conditions, White-throated Honeyeaters can breed any time of the year. The period listed in the table above is the core breeding period.

Nest building: ?

Incubation: Female & male

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Suspended basket

Material: Bark fibres, grass stems, webs

Height above ground: 5 - 15 m

Two near-fledging age White-throated Honeyeater chicks in their nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Two near-fledging age White-throated Honeyeater chicks in their nest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Adult White-throated Honeyeater attending to the chicks in the nest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

White-throated Honeyeater bringing food for its chicks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

White-throated Honeyeater waiting for a chick to discharge a poo sac (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

White-throated Honeyeater nest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Edith Falls, NT, July 2020]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 19 x 14 mm

Colour: Light-brown, with mid- to dark-brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Dispersive

Elementary unit: Pair/family clan/mob

Near-lateral view of an adult White-throated Honeyeater; the bird is feeding a dependent Brush Cuckoo chick with what looks like a lerp (photo courtesy of L. Tonnochy)
[Near Townsville, QLD, September 2012]

Like many other honeyeater species, White-throated Honeyeater like to take a good bath (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, February 2017]

Food, Diet

Lateral view of a White-throated Honeyeater feeding on the nectar of a grevillea (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, in March 2012]

Lateral/ventral view of a White-throated Honeyeater feeding on nectar (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Loyalty Beach, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

This White-throated Honeyeater was busy in flowers that, to the human eye, look a bit jaded to be yielding good nectar...
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

... correct! White-throated Honeyeater with its prey, a grub (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 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.

wthrhon_pb_20181120.m4a	albogularis (Inland NT)	Contact calls?	© PB
wthrhon_20140820.m4a	albogularis (Darwin, NT)	Contact calls?	© MD
wthrhon_20140820_2.m4a	albogularis (Darwin, NT)	Contact calls?	© MD
wthrhon_pb_20180715.m4a	albogularis (Darwin, NT)	Contact calls (Q&A)?	© PB
wthrhon_me_20260619_2.m4a	albogularis (W NT)	Territorial call?	© ME
wthrhon_me_20260619.m4a	albogularis (W NT)	Territorial call? (+ Bar-sh. Dove)	© ME
wthrhon_pb_20200609.m4a	albogularis (Darwin, NT)	Begging calls (juvenile) (+ Striated Pardalote)	© PB
wthrhon_20140817_3.m4a	albogularis (Darwin, NT)	?	© MD
wthrhon_20140818.mp3	albogularis (Pine Creek, NT)	?	© MD
wthrhon_20140820_3.mp3	albogularis (Darwin, NT)	?	© MD
wthrhon_me_20240612_3.m4a	albogularis (Far-N QLD)	?	© ME

More White-throated 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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