Yellow-throated Honeyeater

The Yellow-throated Honeyeater, scientifically known as Nesoptilotis flavicollis, is a medium-sized bird with a distinctive bright yellow chin and throat. Its plumage is a vivid olive-green above, with a silver-grey crown, face, and underbelly. A small yellow ear-patch and yellow-edged wing feathers add to its striking appearance. The bill is black, and the eyes are a deep ruby red. Males are typically larger than females, and juveniles resemble adults but are somewhat duller.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Yellow-throated Honeyeater, look for the bright yellow throat and chin, which contrast sharply with the grey face and underbelly. The olive-green back and yellow-tipped wings are also key features. The bird's long tail and red eyes are additional distinguishing characteristics. Females are slightly smaller than males, and juveniles are less vibrant.

Habitat

This species thrives in temperate forests, woodlands, and coastal scrub and heath. It has a preference for both wet and dry sclerophyll forests, but can also be found in alpine eucalypt woodland, cool rainforest, coastal heathlands, and shrublands. Human-modified landscapes such as golf courses, orchards, parks, and gardens may also serve as habitats.

Distribution

Endemic to Tasmania, the Yellow-throated Honeyeater is a common and widespread resident on the mainland, King Island, and the Furneaux Group. It is not considered to be under threat.

Behaviour

This territorial bird exhibits aggression towards other species, including other honeyeaters, pardalotes, golden whistlers, and grey shrike-thrushes, often chasing them away from its territory.

Song & Calls

The Yellow-throated Honeyeater is known for its variety of calls. The breeding call, which varies geographically, is a whirring "chur-uk, chur-uk" or a loud "de-wit," used to attract mates and assert territory. Another common call is a repeated "tonk, tonk, tonk" or "tchook, tchook."

Breeding

Breeding season spans from August to January, with females moving into male territories. Nests are often low to the ground and constructed from grass, bark, leaves, and spiders' web, lined with soft materials like treefern fibres, wool, and fur. This species is notable for collecting hair from live animals for nesting material. The female is responsible for incubating the eggs and feeding the young, with a typical clutch consisting of two or three pinkish eggs. Incubation lasts about 16 days, and fledglings leave the nest after a similar period.

Similar Species

The Yellow-throated Honeyeater is similar in behaviour and appearance to the White-eared Honeyeater, but the latter is not found in Tasmania.

Diet and Feeding

Primarily insectivorous, the Yellow-throated Honeyeater feeds on arthropods, supplementing its diet with nectar and occasionally fruit or seeds. It forages from the canopy to the ground, gleaning from various surfaces and sometimes sallying out for flying insects.

Conservation Status

The IUCN Red List classifies the Yellow-throated Honeyeater as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without significant threats.