Mangrove Honeyeater
Gavicalis fasciogularis
Medium-sized honeyeater found in coastal habitats of eastern Australia. Back is brown-green, breast is gray, and underparts are pale. Distinguished from Varied Honeyeater by presence of clear barring on the throat and lack of yellow underparts and breast streaking. Usually found in or around mangroves, where it is typically quite conspicuous and vocal.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Gavicalis fasciogularis
- Authority
- (Gould, 1854)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Genus
- Gavicalis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The song is loud, melodious and ringing, but varying, e.g. “whit-u-we-u”. It is classified as scolding chatter. Small honeyeaters are often musical, while larger ones make a larger raucous sound.<p>The breeding period is between August–December. The peak month is September. In northern regions, the breeding period lasts between April–May. Their nests are cup-shaped and are made of dried grasses and seagrass or plant fibre, which are bound with spider web and matted egg sacs. They are lined with fine rootlets or fine grass. For two nests, the external diameter is 8·9–9·5 cm, the depth is 5·7–7·6 cm, and the internal diameter is 6·4–7·6 cm. Nests are suspended by rim, and occasionally supported, they are 0·5–2·7 m above ground. They are small in size, and are found in dense mangroves. Both adults feed nestlings and fledglings. Nests are parasitized by Pallid (Heteroscenes pallidus) and Fan-tailed Cuckoos (Cacomantis flabelliformis).<p>They are a local resident of Moreton Bay, in SE Queensland. The numbers increase in May–Jun and decline during Jul–Dec. This movement is a possible result of local seasonal changes.<p>The mangrove honeyeaters have benefited from land-clearing and fragmentation in southern Western Australia and are able to fly over open agricultural lands. They have been implicated in the spread of the noxious weed Bridal Creeper, Asparagus medeoloides.
Conservation
The mangrove honeyeater is not globally threatened. They have restricted range and the population size is not quantified, but is not considered vulnerable due to the size of its range. The range is thought to have expanded over the last 50 years, with first records if the bird at Yamba in 1947, and some following records farther south.
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Tricolored Munia
Lonchura malacca
Small, finchlike bird of weedy and grassy areas in tropical lowlands. Often in small flocks, which associate readily with seedeaters and grassquits. Adult is handsome and striking with rusty upperparts. Black head and underparts are cut by a broad white swath from flanks across the lower breast. Note stout gray bill. Juvenile notably plain, buffy brown overall with stout bluish-gray bill. Note the pointed tail, unlike seedeaters and grassquits. Native to Asia and spreading in New World as an escaped cage bird.
Western Parotia
Parotia sefilata
A large bird of mid-montane forest canopy. Male is mainly black with a white patch on the forehead, bronzy-scaled chest and 6 antennalike feathers projecting from the back of the head. Note the blue eye. The female is dark brown above with, heavily barred underparts, black head and white moustache stripe. The male has an elaborate dance at a terrestrial display court. The only parotia in range. Female similar to Vogelkop Lophorhina but Western Parotia female is larger with a moustache stripe and blue eyes. Vocalizations include parrotlike squawking and a loud nasal “raak!”.
Spotted Owl
Strix occidentalis
Medium-sized owl typically found in mountainous regions with mixed conifers and oaks. Overall brown with bold white spots on belly and back. Black eyes, unlike most other owls; main confusion species is Barred Owl. Spotted is well-named, with much more obvious spots on chest and belly than Barred Owl, and lacks distinct vertical stripes. Also note voice: one hoot, followed by a pair of hoots, followed by a final single hoot. Two separate populations: birds along the Pacific coast and the Sierra Nevada average darker, richer brown than birds further south and inland.
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