THE WORLD BIRDS - An Online Bird Book
HOME
SEARCH 
INDEX

HONEYEATERs and their Allies - Pacific Islands

Order Passeriformes    Family Meliphagidae

Honeyeaters and the Australian chats make up the family Meliphagidae. It is a large and diverse family of small to medium sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea, but also found in New Zealand, and the Pacific islands as far east as Samoa and Tonga. Although honeyeaters look and behave very much like other nectar-feeding passerines around the world (such as the sunbirds and flowerpeckers), they are unrelated, and the similarities are the consequence of convergent evolution.

Honeyeaters prefer to flit quickly from perch to perch in the outer foliage, stretching up or sideways or hanging upside down at need. These birds are one of only a few birds in the world that can fly backwards. This is because of their special wings. In addition to nector, honeyeaters eat insects. The honeyeaters with long, fine bills are more nectarivorous, the shorter-billed species less so, but even specialized nectar eaters like the spinebills take extra insects to add protein to their diet when they are breeding. Many genera have a highly developed brush-tipped tongue, longer in some species than others, frayed and fringed with bristles which soak up liquids readily. The tongue is flicked rapidly and repeatedly into a flower, the upper mandible then compressing any liquid out when the bill is closed.

The genus of family Meliphagidae are found on 3 web pages: Australia, New Guinea, Pacific islands.


Genus Foulehaio

Honeyeater,_Eastern Wattled- also Polynesian Watted-Honeyeater Foulehaio carunculatus  Found: islands of central Pacific
Image by: 1, 2) Duncan Wright - Tonga


Honeyeater,_Northern Wattled- Foulehaio taviuensis  Found: Fiji
Image by: Aviceda - Fiji


Honeyeater,_Western Wattled- Foulehaio procerior  Found: Fiji
Image by: 1) Tom Tarrant



Genus Gliciphila also Phylidonyris

Honeyeater,_Barred-Honeyeater Gliciphila undulata  also  Glycifohia undulatus  Found: New Caledonia
Image by: 1) Nigel Voaden  2) Tony Morris


Honeyeater,_New Hebrides also  White-bellied honeyeater  Gliciphila notabilis  Found: Melanesian island nation of Vanuatu
Image by: 1) stamp  


Honeyeater,_Tawny-crowned Gliciphila melanops  Found: Australia
Image by: 1, 2) Nik_Borrow  3) Brian_McCauley



Genus Guadalcanaria - 1 species

Honeyeater,_Guadalcanal   Guadalcanaria inexpectata  Found: Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands,
Image by: 1) Markus Lagerqvist



Genus Gymnomyza

Honeyeater,_Crow Gymnomyza aubryana  Found: New Caldonia
The Crow Honeyeater has glossy black plumage; curved heavy bill (yellow below, black above); orange wattle behind eye.
Image by: 1) Richard Fuller


Honeyeater,_Giant Gymnomyza viridis  Found: Fiji
Image by: 1) Tom Tarrant


Honeyeater,_Mao Gymnomyza samoensis  Found: Samoa
The Mao Honeyeater has olive-green upperparts; blackish head; greenish mark below eye; long, curved black bill; light blue eyes.
Image by: 1) Rebecca80  2) Rebecca Stirnemann



Genus Lichmera
These honeyeaters are found in western Pacific islands incuding Australia and New Guinea

Honeyeater,_Black-chested  also Black-necklaced Honeyeater Lichmera notabilis  Found: Indonesia
Image by: 1) Imin Nuddin  2) Stijn Cooleman


Honeyeater,_Brown  Lichmera indistincta   Found: Australia, New Guinea
The Brown Honeyeater has brown plumage;  yellow-olive panels in tail, wings; yellow tuft behind eye.
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova   2) Glen Fergus  3, 5) Aviceda - Queensland   4) Paul_Balfe - Queensland  6) Geoff_Whalan - NT  7) Laurie_Boyle



Honeyeater,_Buru Lichmera deningeri  Found: Indonesia
Image by: 1) James Eaton  2) Charles_Davies - Buru Mountains


Honeyeater_ Gray-eared also  Dark-brown Honeyeater  Lichmera incana   Found: New Caledonia and other Pacific islands
The Gray-eared Honeyeater has dull green-brown upperparts; gray with hint of olive underparts; silvery-gray cheeks; dark gray crown.
Image by: 1) Duncan Wright    2) Tony Morris  3) Adrien_Cretin


Honeyeater,_Indonesian  Lichmera limbata    Found: Bali and Lesser Sundas to Flores and Timor
Image by: 1, 2, 3) Lip Kee Yap 


Honeyeater,_Olive Lichmera argentauris  Found: Maluku Islands (Indonesia)
Image by: 1) James Eaton


Honeyeater,_Scaly-breasted also White-tufted Honeyeater  Lichmera squamata  Found: Lesser Sunda Islands (Indonesia)
Image by: 1) imanuddin  2) Col Trainor  3) Charles_Davies


Honeyeater,_Scaly-crowned  Lichmera lombokia   Found: W Lesser Sundas Islands (Indonesia)
Image by: 1) Joseph Smit  2) Peter Ericsson


Honeyeater,_Seram   Lichmera monticola  Found: Indonesia
The Seram Honeyeater is found on Seram in the southern Maluku Islands.
Image by: 1) Tony_Sawbridge


Honeyeater,_Silver-eared Lichmera alboauricularis  Found: New Guinea
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) Nik Borrow


Honeyeater,_Yellow-eared Lichmera flavicans  Found: Indonesia
Image by: 1) Marcel Holyoak  2) Neville Kemp



Genus Meliarchus - 1 species

Melidectes, Makira  also San Cristobal Honeyeater  Meliarchus sclateri  Found: Makira in Solomon Islands
Image by: 1) Josep del Hoyo



Genus Melitograis - 1 species

Friarbird,_White-streaked   Melitograis gilolensis  Found: north Moluccas in Indonesia
Image by: 1) James_Eaton  2) Simon_van_der_Meulen



Genus Myza

Myza, Dark-eared  also Dark-eared Honeyeater  Myza celebensis  Found: Sulawesi (Indonesia)
The Dark-eared Honeyeater has brown upperparts; darker brown streaks on back, wings, tail; gray or olivaceous head and neck streaked with brown; brown underparts with less streaks than upperparts; long, dark, down-curved bill;
Image by: 1) Ariefrahman  2) Francesco Veronesi 3) Sergey_Yeliseev


Myza, White-eared Myza sarasinorum  Found: Sulawesi (Indonesia)
Image by: 1, 2) Stijn De Win



Genus Myzomela
These honeyeaters are found in western Pacific islands incuding Australia and New Guinea

Myzomela, Ashy   Myzomela cineracea  Found: New Britain and Umboi Island in New Guinea
Image by: 1) Katerina Tvardikova  2) Joseph Smit


Myzomela, Banda   Myzomela boiei  Found: Indonesia
The Banda Myzomela the Banda, Babar and Tanimbar Islands.
Image by: 1) Mehd Halaouate


Myzomela, Black  also Papuan Black Myzomela   Myzomela nigrita  Found: New Guinea
The male Black Myzomela has mainly black plumage. Female is smaller; olive-brown to gray-brown upperparts; paler underparts; reddish wash on forehead.
Image by: 1) Lars Peterrson


Myzomela,_Black-breasted   Myzomela vulnerata  Found: Indonesia
Image by: 1) Marcel Holyoak  2) Ross_Tsai


Myzomela, Black-bellied  Myzomela erythromelas   Found: New Britain near New Guinea
Image by: Joseph Smit 
Male on top


Myzomela, Black-headed   Myzomela melanocephala  Found: Solomon Islands
Image by: 1) hbw.com


Myzomela,_Cardinal   Myzomela cardinalis  Found: New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands and other islands
The male Cardinal Myzomel has mainly black plumage; red head, throat, upper-breast, rump; black lores. Females have mainly grayish-olive plumage; sometimes with red on head.
Image by: 1) James St John  2) Duncan Wright   3) P_Khoo


Myzomela, Crimson-hooded   Myzomela kuehni  Found:Wetar of Indonesia
Image by: 1) Rob Hutchinson


Myzomela,_Dusky   Myzomela obscura  Found: New Guinea, northern Australia
The Dusky Myzomela have dull plumage, often hovering to take insects or nectar from flowers.
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) JJ Harrison  2) Lip Kee  3) Graham Winterflood  4) Malcolm_Tattersall - Queensland



Myzomela, Ebony also Bismarck Black Myzomela    Myzomela pammelaena  Found: New Guinea
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) Joseph Smit  3) Lars Petersson 4) Charles_Davies


Myzomela,_Micronesian  Myzomela rubratra   Found: Micronesia
Image by: 1) Tropical Pete  2) Tony_Morris


Myzomela,_Mountain also Elfin Myzomela  Myzomela adolphinae  Found: mountains of New Guinea
The male Mountain Myzomela has darkish upperparts; red hood, upper-tail coverts; off-white underparts. Female has olive-gray upperparts; off-white underparts; reddish wash to parts of head..
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) Joseph Smit


Myzomela,_New_Caledonian   Myzomela caledonica  Found: New Caledonia
The male New Caledonian Myzomela has red head, neck; red back patch; black wings, tail; white belly. Female has dull brown head, breast, back; slight red wash on face.
Image by: 1) Frédéric Desmoulins  2) Roger_Le_Guen


Myzomela,_New Ireland   Myzomela pulchella  Found: New Ireland, in E Bismarck Archipelago (New Guinea)
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) Holger Meinig


Myzomela,_Orange-breasted also  Sulphur-breasted Myzomela  Myzomela jugularis   Found: Fiji
Image by: Aviceda - De Voeux Peak, Taveuni, Fiji Isles 
Male


Myzomela, Red   Myzomela cruentata  Found: New Guinea
The male Red Myzomela has mainly red plumage; dark brown upperparts, upper wing; yellow gape. Female brown to olive-brown; slightly paler and grayer underparts.
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) Tim Laman 3) Jemi & John Holmes


Myzomela, Red-bellied  also  Red-vested Myzomela   Myzomela malaitae  Found: Malaita (Solomon Islands)
Image by: 1) Rob Moyle


Myzomela,_Red-collared   Myzomela rosenbergii  Found: New Guinea
The Red-collared Myzomela has mainly black plumage; red mantle, upper-breast.
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) David Cook  3, 4) Katerina Tvardikova 5) Jerry_Oldenettel
2, 3) Female 4, 5) Male



Myzomela,_Red-headed also  Red-headed Honeyeater  Myzomela erythrocephala   Found: Australia, New Guinea
The male Red-headed Myzomela has sooty brown upperparts; bright red head; dark red on rump; blackish-brown upper-wing, upper-tail; light brownish-gray underparts. Femae has gray-brown upperparts, head; pink-red forehead; dark brown upper-wing, upper-tail; light gray-brown underparts.
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) Giselleai  3, 7) Geoff_Whalan - NT  4) Brian_McCauley  5, 6) Mdk572
2, 3) Juvenile male  5) Female  6. 7) Male




Myzomela, Red-throated   Myzomela eques  Found: New Guinea
The male Red-throated Myzomela has mainly blackish-brown plumage; slightly lighter underparts; red chin, throat.  Female like male with pale throat.
Image by: 1) Dale Zimmerman
1) Male, left; Female, right


Myzomela, Rotuma   Myzomela chermesina  Found: Rotuma (island north of Fiji)
Image by: 1) Joseph Smit  2) P_Khoo


Myzomela,_Scarlet  also Scarlet Honeyeater  Myzomela sanguinolenta   Found: east coast Australia, New Caledonia
The male Scarlet Myzomela has bright red head, neck, breast; red stripe on back; black mantle, lores; thin black eye-ring; back on lower-breast becomes mottled with gray; black upper-tail; dark gray under-tail. Female has brown upperparts, head, neck; paler underparts. Female may have reddish patches on forehead, cheeks, throat.
Image by: 1) Brett_Donald  2) Greg_Miles  3) David Cook - Victoria
1) Female 2, 3) Male


Myzomela,_Scarlet-naped also Red-capped Myzomela   Myzomela lafargei  Found: Solomon Islands archipelago (New Guinea)
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) hbw.com


Myzomela,_Sclater's also Scarlet-bibbed Myzomela  Myzomela sclateri  Found: New Guinea
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) Joseph Smit  3) John and Jemi Holmes


Myzomela, Seram also Drab Myzomela  Myzomela blasii  Found: Indonesia (Seram, Boano and Ambon)
Image by: 1) James Eaton


Myzomela, Sooty   Myzomela tristrami  Found: Makira of Solomon Islands
Image by: 1) John and Jemi Holmes


Myzomela, Sulawesi   Myzomela chloroptera  Found: Indonesia
Image by: 1. 2) Ariefrahman 3) AS Kono


Myzomela, Sumba   Myzomela dammermani  Found: Sumba of Indonesia
Image by: 1, 2) Marcel Holyoak


Myzomela, Wakolo   Myzomela wakoloensis  Found: Maluku Islands of Indonesia
Image by: 1, 2) James Eaton


Myzomela, White-chinned   Myzomela albigula  Found: New Guinea
Image by: 1) hbw.com


Myzomela,_Yellow-vented  also  Crimson-rumped Myzomela  Myzomela eichhorni  Found: Solomon Islands
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) hbw.com 3) Josep del Hoyo



Genus Philemon
These friarbirds are found in Australia, eastern Indonesia, New Caledonia, New Guinea. They eat nectar, insects and other invertebrates, flowers, fruit and seeds. The friarbirds generally have drab plumage. They derive their name from the circular pattern at the crown of their heads and their neutral coloring, which makes them resemble friars. They are relatively large honeyeaters.

Friarbird, Black-faced   Philemon moluccensis  Found: Buru (Indonesia)
Image by: 1) Michael K Poulsen 2) Mehd Halaouate


Friarbird, Brass's   Philemon brassi  Found: New Guinea


Friarbird, Dusky   Philemon fuscicapillus  Found: island of Morotai (Indonesia)
The Dusky Friarbird has dark brown upperparts; paler underparts; bare pink around eye.
Image by: 1) Paulo Alves


Friarbird, Gray   Philemon kisserensis also Philemon citreogularis kisserensisFound: E Lesser Sundas (Kisar, Leti and Moa)
The Gray Friarbird is also consider a subspecies of the Little Friarbird.
Image by: 1) Jame Eaton


Friarbird,_Helmeted  Philemon buceroides   Found: Australia
Image by: 1) Aviceda - Cairns Esplanade, N Queensland, Australia   2) David Cook  3) Ralph Green  4) lostandcold


Friarbird,_Little  Philemon citreogularis   Found: Australia
The Gray Friarbird is also consider a subspecies of the Little Friarbird. The Little Friarbird has dark gray-brown upperparts; bare blue (gray) skin under the eye; pale gray underparts.
Image by: 1) Oystercatcher   2) Lip Kee Yap - , NT  3) Vicki Nunn - Central Queensland 4) Francesco Veronesi  5) Geoff_Whalan



Friarbird,_Meyer's   Philemon meyeri  Found: New Guinea
The Meyer's Friarbird has brownish gray upperparts; paler underparts; blackish bare skin over lores; black bill; gray legs.
Image by: 1, 2) Katerina Tvardikova


Friarbird,_New_Britain  Philemon cockerelli   Found: New Guinea
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) Nik_Borrow


 Friarbird,_New_Caldonian  Philemon diemenensis  Found: New Caldonia
Image by: 1) Archives_du_Muséum_d'histoire_naturelle


Friarbird_ New_England  Philemon eichhorni  Found: New Guinea
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) hbw.com


Friarbird,_Noisy  Philemon corniculatus   Found: Australia
The Noisy Friarbird has dull brownish-gray upperparts; paler underparts; mainly bald head; rounded knob top of bill.
Image by: 1) NRG800  2, 3) David Cook   4) Brett Donald   5) Glen Fergus - Moreton Island, Australia  6) Leo
6) Noisy Friarbird trying to intimidate Red Wattlebird



Friarbird, Seram  also Gray-necked Friarbird   Philemon subcorniculatus  Found: Maluku Islands (Indonesia)
Image by: 1) Ron Huff  2) Michael K Poulsen


Friarbird,_Silver-crowned   Philemon argenticeps  Found: Australia
Image by: 1) Dave Curtis  2) Sunphlo  3) Brian_Ralphs  4) Brian_McCauley


Friarbird, Timor   Philemon inornatus  Found: Indonesia, East Timor
Image by: 1) Andrew Duff  2) James Eaton


Friarbird,_White-naped  Philemon albitorques   Found: New Guinea
The White-naped Friarbird has dark olive to olive-gray upperparts; dark olive to black head; small silvery patch in front of eye; small yellowish cheek patch; pale olive-gray underparts; yellow legs.
Image by: 1) Katerina_Tvardikova  2) Joseph Smit 



Genus Stresemannia - 1 species

Honeyeater,_Bougainville  Stresemannia bougainvillei   Found: Bougainvillei Island near Solomon Islands
Image by: 1) hbw.com





Back to Top