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Black Honeyeater Sugomel nigrum Scientific name definitions

Peter J. Higgins, Les Christidis, and Hugh Ford
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2008

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

10–13 cm; male 9·5–11 g, female 8·5–12 g. Male is strikingly pied, with head, neck and upperparts mostly black and underbody mostly white, black of throat and upper breast continuing as V on lower breast and as narrow scruffy black stripe down centre of belly; upperwing-coverts and remiges black-brown, remiges with fine grey edges in fresh plumage; undertail black, underwing blackish-brown; iris black-brown; bill and gape black; legs black to grey-black. Female is slightly smaller than male, plumage very different: mainly dark grey-brown above and white below, with small diffuse whitish patch above and behind eye, whitish malar area finely mottled grey-brown and extending as white stripe along side of throat, and whitish chin and throat densely mottled dark grey-brown; breast variable, from streaked with dark grey-brown at side to heavily mottled dark grey-brown in centre and grading to dark grey-brown patch at side; uppertail and most of upperwing slightly darker than upperbody, blackish-brown, larger secondary coverts with off-white to pale grey-brown fringes, remiges with fine pale grey edges, undertail black-brown, underwing dark brown; bill black, creamy cutting edge on base of lower mandible and creamy gape, rest of bare parts as male. Juvenile is very like female, but throat and upper breast more uniform grey-brown, secondary coverts and tertials of upperwing have clear pinkish-buff fringes when fresh (more scaly appearance of folded wing), remiges and rectrices finely edged pinkish-buff, and gape yellow.

Systematics History

Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Australia from W coast E, largely S of c. 19° S, to W slopes of Great Divide; typically absent from larger desert regions (e.g. Simpson Desert), Nullarbor Plain, and moister coastal and subcoastal areas of SW, S & SE.

Habitat

Arid and semi-arid low, open woodlands and shrublands, often dominated by Acacia, especially mulga (Acacia aneura), or by mallee eucalypts, and typically with shrubby understorey of emu-bush (Eremophila) or, less often, Grevillea, paperbarks (Melaleuca) or Acacia; also low open sclerophyllous woodlands dominated by eucalypts, including bloodwoods (Corymbia) or Darwin woollybutt (Eucalyptus miniata), or woodland dominated by cypress-pine (Callitris) or casuarina, or mixed Eucalyptus-Callitris-Melaleuca woodland. Sometimes in spinifex (Triodia) savanna, especially where flowering shrubs present, or in chenopod shrublands.

Movement

Generally considered migratory, with seasonal trends in numbers in a given area; suggestion that range expands into S inland in spring, and contracts to N inland in late summer, extent of expansion varying annually and dependent on overall population of species, with tendency for movement through much of C Australia. Tends to be recorded in S & E of range more often in spring-summer than in autumn-winter; appearance or numbers at many sites, however, unpredictable and species frequently described as nomadic (although many such claims based merely on sporadic occurrences at locations, particularly at periphery of range). Broad-scale analysis of data in E Australia found strong evidence of movements, but with no clear pattern. Occurrence at edge of normal range often irregular, and irruptions widely recorded. Widely scattered records outside main range, e.g. in N Western Australia (N Kimberley Division), Top End of Northern Territory and E coast. Movements often related to flowering of foodplants, especially emu-bush and mistletoe; possibly some movements made in response to seasonal conditions, including drought. Numbers at any site may also reflect annual changes in size of total population. Said possibly to move in groups, and flock of at least 1000 in Feb at one site possibly gathering before N movement.

Diet and Foraging

Nectar (particularly of emu-bush, but also wide range of other plants) and small insects. Forages in shrubs, in crowns of trees, mostly eucalypts, and in mistletoe (Loranthaceae). Obtains nectar by probing flowers, sometimes sally-hovering to do so. Insects caught mostly by sally-striking in air (up to 15 m from perch), birds often searching while perched on top of shrubs; also gleaned from bark. Observed to eat charcoal and ash at extinguished fires; groups of up to ten seen at sources of ash or charcoal. Usually singly, in twos (probably pairs) and in small parties; sometimes in large flocks at food sources, e.g. 110 individuals in two small clumps of Eremophila longifolia within c. 100 m2. Often with other species in and around flowering plants.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

During breeding, male gives two-note whistle, "pee-pee", in display-flight, also distinctive high-pitched plaintive "peeee" repeated for long periods from perch. Other calls include metallic "chick chick", by both sexes after hatching of eggs; harsh scolding notes; "chirrup" sometimes interspersed among whistles; weak squeaking by female during distraction display.

Breeding

Jul–Dec, mostly Aug–Nov, possibly starting and finishing slightly earlier in W Australia; also Mar in Queensland; apparently single-brooded. Often in loose groups or colonies. Both members of pair appear to choose nesting site, but only female carries material and builds, accompanied by male (male may carry material during selection process); nest a shallow open cup (can become flattened as young grow) of fine twigs, grass and other plant material, lightly bound with spider web, lined with soft grass and rootlets and, less often, plant fibre, bark and other soft materials, construction starts with foundation of spider web around fork of branch, on to which twigs placed and secured with more web, external diameter 5–8 cm, depth 3·8–6·4 cm, internal diameter 3·8–4·5 cm, depth 2–2·5 cm; usually attached to horizontal fork of low shrub or tree, sometimes in angled or near-vertical fork or growth and often quite exposed (occasionally on fallen timber), usually close to ground at 0·3–1 m (mean of 45 nests 0·67 m), but reported extremes of 15 cm and 2·5 m. Clutch usually 2 eggs, rarely 1 or 3, mean 1·91; incubation mainly or solely by female, sometimes shared more equally by both sexes, 14–16 days, once 13 days for 1-egg clutch; chicks brooded and fed by both sexes, female doing more of brooding, male may do more feeding, nestling period 15–16 days; fledglings seen with both parents, but one brood fed only by male. Nests parasitized by Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo (Chalcites basalis).

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Widely but sparsely distributed, and locally common. Recorded densities of 0·07–1·08 birds/ha. May be adversely affected by loss of Eremophila through grazing and through control measures where this considered a weed by pastoralists.
Distribution of the Black Honeyeater - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Black Honeyeater

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Higgins, P. J., L. Christidis, and H. Ford (2020). Black Honeyeater (Sugomel nigrum), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.blahon1.01
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