Long-bearded Honeyeater
Melionyx princeps
A long, slender honeyeater of subalpine forest and shrubland in eastern New Guinea. All sooty gray-black plumage with long tail and very long, thin, curved bill, long white, whispy beard from the base of the bill, and a yellow-orange wattle at the back of the eye. Some white scaling on the belly. Similar to Sooty Melidectes, but Long-bearded Melidectes is larger and has a white beard. Not very vocal but gives a quiet “eh eh eh” call.
Identification
The long-bearded honeyeater is 27 cm long. It has a long, slender black bill and orange skin behind its eye. Its plumage is soot-black. It is distinguished from the similar sooty honeyeaters by its wispy white beard, which reaches the bend of its wing.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Melionyx princeps
- Authority
- (Mayr & Gilliard, 1951)
- Order
- Not a recognized bird species
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Genus
- Melionyx
Range and habitat
The honeyeater is endemic to Papua New Guinea, and is found only on Mt Giluwe, Mt Hagen, the Kubor Range, Mt Wilhelm, Mt Michael and in the Kaijende Highlands of Enga Province, 70 km NW of Mt Hagen. Its range is about 19,000 km2. It lives at high altitudes in shrubland, grassland or moist forest.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The honeyeaters inhabit the tree canopies, eating nectar, fruit and insects. They feed in pairs or small groups. They nest in June and July. The voice is unrecorded.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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