Singing Honeyeater
Gavicalis virescens
Medium-sized honeyeater with an olive-brown back and pale gray underparts. Size and plumage varies considerably across its range. This species tends to favor inland locations, and is found in a wide variety of habitats. Widespread across Australia, and is present in most areas apart from the eastern coast.
识别特征
Singing honeyeaters can vary in length from 17–22 cm (6.7–8.7 in). Their overall appearance is grey-brown. The tail and wings are olive-green with flashes of yellow. There is a broad, black stripe running from the behind the beak to the back, and a yellow streak immediately below this from the eye. The bird's song ranges from scratchy to melodious. The song also varies according to where they live. The singing honeyeater has close relatives that have a similar general appearance, or some details in common, with overlapping ranges and similar voices, so a bird identification guide with clear visuals may be essential to attain the correct identity.
分类信息
The singing honeyeater was originally described as Meliphaga virescens lipferti. It was previously placed in the genus Lichenostomus, but was moved to Gavicalis after a molecular phylogenetic analysis, published in 2011, showed that the original genus was polyphyletic. The generic name is formed from an anagram of the sister genus Caligavis; the specific epithet is the Latin virescens meaning 'greenish'.
- 学名
- Gavicalis virescens
- 命名信息
- (Vieillot, 1817)
- 目
- Passeriformes
- 科
- Meliphagidae
- 属
- Gavicalis
分布与栖息地
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
Singing honeyeaters eat a variety of foods, including nectar, small insects, fruits, grubs, and berries. They are also opportunistic nest predators of smaller birds, including the zebra finch; any nest with eggs or chicks left unattended will be, potentially, an easy food source. This makes them omnivorous birds.<p>Singing honeyeaters breed between July and February. They are capable of forming longtime relationships with partners. When they are breeding, they show aggressive actions. Their nest is a cup of grass, plant stems, and spider webs. The eggs are a light cream-brown with some darker spots.<p>Singing honeyeaters live in families. They will attack larger animals, if they feel threatened by them, or if they enter their territory. They have been known to attack intruders in mobs, thus showing they are a community-minded bird that will work together for a common cause.<p>They associate with other species of birds, such as the brown honeyeater and the red wattlebird. They are different from many birds, however, because they lack the ability to communicate with isolated birds of the same species. As a study by M.C. Baker (1996) showed, the birds of the mainland did not respond to the songs of singing honeyeaters found on an island off Australia's west coast. The study showed that the songs of the birds on the island were shorter, had less song and syllable types, and had fewer syllables and notes per song.
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- rising
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Tepui Vireo
Vireo sclateri
Small, arboreal bird of tepui highlands. Olive-gray above and yellowish below, with a gray head, pinkish bill, and pale eye. One of the most widespread tepui endemics, it occurs in both tall and stunted forest on tepui slopes and on isolated formations at elevations as low as 500 meters. Forages actively, searching foliage for insects and often joining mixed-species flocks. Usually heard before it is seen. Song is a distinctive two-parted whistle, with varying degrees of inflection, the second note lower-pitched. Also gives harsh scold notes like other vireos. Most similar to Lemon-chested Greenlet but has very different voice and occurs at higher elevations.
White-throated Babbler
Argya gularis
Rich chestnut-brown babbler with a bright white throat and chest. Inhabits dry scrubby areas, often fairly close to human habitation. Like other babblers, fairly social, gathering in small bands; birds often give a fairly high-pitched rolling chatter as they forage together.
Ainley's Storm-Petrel
Hydrobates cheimomnestes
Rare and poorly known seabird found in the Pacific Ocean well off the coast of Mexico. It breeds in the winter on small islets near Guadalupe Island, located 160 miles from the mainland, and disperses southward during other times of the year. Plumage is dark gray with a notched tail, white rump patch, and pale stripes on the upperwing. The rump patch is variable in extent, and on some birds may be split down the middle by gray feathers. Identification is extremely difficult due to its similarity with other species, especially Townsend’s Storm-Petrel and Leach’s Storm-Petrel. Remains at sea when not breeding; flies erratically and often patters the ocean with its feet.
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