New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae Scientific name definitions

18 cm (16–20); male 10–25 g and female 10–23 g (nominate), male 13–23 g and female 10·5–20 g (longirostris), male 20·5–22 g and female 18–19 g (campbelli), male 22·3–29 g and female 19·8–23 g (cauda­tus), male 20–24 g and female 16·5–23·5 g (canescens). Striking medium-sized honey­eater, strongly black and white and with distinctive head pattern, conspicuous pale eye. Nominate race has head mainly black, with small white-streaked patch at side of forehead, white lateral crownstripe, broad wispy white malar plume, prominent white neck plume (below and behind ear-coverts and fanning onto side of neck), and elongated white bristles on lower throat (appearing as finely streaked beard); upperbody mostly black-brown, with diffuse grey-brown streaking on neck, bold white streaking on mantle and scapulars, and fine brown streaking on back, rump and uppertail-coverts; upperwing and uppertail brownish-black to black, remiges and rectrices with bright yellow outer edges (striking panels on folded wing and side of tail), small white tip on outer tail (when tail spread, white tips visible on all except central feathers); underparts white, boldly streaked with black, undertail greyish-brown with broad off-white tip, underwing greyish-brown with paler leading edge of coverts; iris white; bill and gape black; legs blackish-brown. Sexes alike in plumage, male slightly larger than female. Juvenile is like adult but much duller and paler, head and neck dark brown with yellow tinge in white markings (other than neck plume), upperparts brown with faint grey-brown streaking, underparts off-white and more sparsely streaked with dark brown, upperwing with paler brown fringes on greater coverts, yellowish edges on greater primary coverts, paler yellow panel on folded wing, iris dark grey or grey-brown, bill black-brown or grey-brown with pale tip and base, gape pale yellow and swollen, legs tinged pink. Races differ in morphometrics and slightly in plumage: <em>longirostris</em> is like nominate in size but with longer bill, much smaller and narrower malar plume; campbelli is on average larger than nominate, with significantly shorter wing and longer bill than adjacent mainland populations, has sparser white beard, blacker mantle and back with finer white streaking, black streaking on breast broader; caudata male is significantly larger than male nominate, female similar in size to female nominate but significantly longer-tailed, both sexes with plumage very like previous but with longer malar plume; canescens is similar in size to nominate but female significantly longer-tailed, differs from nominate in slightly longer white malar plume, sparser white beard, and slightly broader black streaking on breast.

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• New Holland x White-cheeked Honeyeater (hybrid) Phylidonyris novaehollandiae x niger

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Mainly heathland and dense shrubland, including mallee heathland, sometimes with scattered emergent Eucalyptus or Angophora, and consisting of diverse range of shrubs such as Banksia, Leptospermum, Melaleuca, casuarinas, epacrids, and other proteaceous or myrtaceous shrubs. In Tasmania, also in buttongrass (Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus) sedgeland. Also in eucalypt woodland or dry, open eucalypt forest with dense shrub or heath understorey; occasionally in mallee woodland or shrubland, sometimes with broombush (Melaleuca uncinata) in understorey. In SW Australia, recorded in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest with middle storey including Banksia grandis and a low shrub layer. Occasionally in wet sclerophyll forest, usually with well-developed understorey, in E Australia. Sometimes in pine plantations near eucalypt forest, or edge of closed forest. Often in parks and gardens in urban areas.

Primarily resident; some movements, probably largely local. Descriptions as nomadic, partly nomadic and locally nomadic often based solely on irregular or apparently unpredictable occurrence at sites. Suggested that probably permanently resident where nectar available throughout year, and undertaking local, sometimes seasonal, movements elsewhere. Such movements can result in influxes at sites where nectar available, and thus increases in numbers in areas where resident populations occur. Where flowering seasonal, movements and occurrence may also be seasonal. Occasional visitor at some sites, and vagrants recorded well beyond normal range. At any given site, mobile population typically transient, with few retraps of ringed individuals; in one study also found that most (69%) were immature. Sometimes observed while moving in flocks on apparent passage, sometimes with Caligavis chrysops. An influx S of Sydney coincided with irruption of P. niger.

Mainly nectar, also manna, and arthropods , lerp and honeydew (of eriococcids and psyllids). Arthropods mainly insects and their larvae, but also mites and ticks (Acarina) and spiders (Araneae). Tends to feed mainly or almost exclusively on nectar, but in a few studies diet found to comprise higher proportion of insects than of nectar; foraging behaviour varies with season and time of day (e.g. breeding birds usually take more insects). Time spent in foraging may vary with changes in availability of nectar; most of the time spent in foraging when nectar scarce, but little time in foraging when nectar abundant. Forages mainly in shrub layer, but also at all levels from canopy to, rarely, ground. Nectar obtained by probing flowers; insects taken mainly by sallying (including sally-striking for flying insects, and sally-hovering) and by gleaning from foliage or bark of branches and trunks; other carbohydrates obtained by gleaning and probing. Forages singly, in pairs or in small groups. Singletons or (especially when breeding) pairs defend feeding territory, either throughout year (but with variation in intensity and duration of defence) or only for short periods, by attacking and chasing intruders, also displacing other birds, and occasionally fighting; small groups also seen to defend territory; territorial behaviour and social organization vary with abundance of conspecifics and other nectarivores in avian community (e.g. small honeyeaters usually readily driven off, but larger Anthochaera wattlebirds and Glossopsitta lorikeets difficult to evict), vary also with number of intrusions, and with abundance and density of resources, e.g. in S Australia up to 20 of present species (and occasionally Anthochaera carunculata) defended individual feeding territories in single tree. Occasional anecdotal observations of birds congregating in an area to forage on abundant resources (but individuals may still defend territories).

Noisy, with complex repertoire dominated by simple single-note calls. Probable contact or location calls given regularly, consist of high-pitched single or double note, e.g. “cheet”, “seet”, “ssee” or “sit”. Alarm calls in response to predators a rapid series of loud penetrating descending staccato whistled notes (audible to 500 m) and a chatter of short harsh notes usually in short series (audible only to 20–30 m), may alternate between these when alarmed; staccato whistles from high exposed perch, then while diving to cover as predator nears, the usual alarm in response to raptor; chatter also from high perch or from dense shrub in response to approach of other type of predator or potential threat; chatter may be given also during distraction display. Corroboree call a repeated single note, given only during corroborees (see Family Text ). Male has soft, warbling flight song, roughly rendered as 2–6 repeated “yeep” calls, uttered during last half of outward song flight and apparently adjusted to length of song flight; occasionally given when perched. Other calls include “squark”, during intraspecific chases; a series of 2-note whistles, given from high exposed perch for up to two minutes at a time, function of which not known; and harsh distress call or rapidly repeated “chirrup” that may be given during fighting. Snaps bills during chases and nest defence.

Recorded throughout year but season mainly winter-spring, with 55% of clutches Aug–Oct and 71% Jul–Nov, and only 6% Dec–Feb; at one site in New South Wales season centred on winter peak of nectar availability, laying beginning mid-Feb (when nectar availability low) and most pairs nesting late Feb/Mar to mid-Aug; in Victoria two distinct breeding periods at one site, with eggs in spring (Jul–Oct) and autumn (Feb–Apr), but at a second site clutches recorded only in spring (Aug–Oct). Occasional instances of co-operative breeding, with helpers. Nest built by female, often accompanied by male, usually a neatly woven cup typically made of grass, strips of bark, twigs, leaves (including casuarina and pine needles), rootlets, pieces of vine, and cobweb and wool, lined with fine grasses and plant down (e.g. from Banksia inflorescences, Macrozamia cycads, or ferns), flowers or floral parts (e.g. Banksia bracts), moss, soft seeds, or wool, fur, hair or feathers, external diameter 7·6–12 cm, depth 6·4–8·9 cm, internal diameter 5·1–5·7 cm, depth 3–3·8 cm; nests in Victoria had three distinct layers, outer layer of dead twigs, usually bound with spider web, middle layer of strips of bark or vines and some bark, and lining of soft plant material and wool (extending c. 1 cm up sides of nest); either supported in upright fork or suspended by rim, and usually well concealed in foliage of live shrub or small tree, less often in ferns, rushes or grass or other low sites, 0·05–7 m (mean 1·33 m) above ground. Clutch usually 2–3 eggs, occasionally 1 (few records of 4, but not certainly laid by only one female), mean for whole range 2·09, in E appears to increase with increasing latitude (New South Wales 2·05, Victoria 2·19, South Australia 2·13, Tasmania, 2·38), mean in Western Australia 2·11; incubation by female, usually from completion of clutch, period 13–15 days; chicks brooded by female, fed by both sexes (female providing more feeds), occasionally assisted by helpers, nestling period 12–16·5 days, young sometimes leave nest prematurely if disturbed; fledglings tended by both parents, occasionally also by helpers, at two sites in Victoria young independent c. 4 weeks after fledging. Nests parasitized by Pallid Cuckoo (Heteroscenes pallidus) and Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo (Chalcites basalis). From 490 eggs in 243 nests for which outcome known, 0·56 fledged young per nest; of 327 nests, 67% fledged at least one young; predation a major cause of failure, known predators of eggs or young include Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina), Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis) and black rat (Rattus rattus), and snakes also thought responsible for much predation.

Not globally threatened. Locally common. Widespread in SW and in much of SE , widespread also in Tasmania; more sparse in N of range and in W part of South Australian range (only scattered records on Eyre Peninsula). No estimates of total population, but many estimates of density from throughout range; maximum recorded densities 20 birds/ha and c. 38 birds/ha, and of 16 breeding birds/ha. Range has possibly expanded on Adelaide Plain, in South Australia, where said to have become established since mid-1970s.