Silver-eared Honeyeater Lichmera alboauricularis Scientific name definitions

15 cm; male 13·5–19 g, three females 12·5–14·5 g. Nominate race is dull brown above, darker olive-brown on wing and tail, with faint buff tips on median coverts, olive-green outer edges on outer greater coverts and remiges (diffuse greenish wash on folded wing), and with broad, diffuse olive-green outer edges on rectrices; in fresh plumage, edges of upperpart feathers faintly paler, giving slight mottled or streaked effect; broad but sparsely feathered dark brown to blackish-grey crescent from lower lores to beneath and behind eye, varyingly flecked with prominent (but sparse) small white feathers, this crescent bordered at rear edge by large pale patch on rear ear-coverts, silvery white on upper coverts and pale grey on lower ear-coverts; pale greyish-brown malar area becomes mottled with white on side of throat, merging into mottled brown-and-white side of neck; chin and throat off-white, speckled or diffusely streaked brown; under­body off-white, with pale yellowish wash on breast and even weaker tinge on flanks, and with brown streaking or even mottling heaviest across breast and upper belly, and largely petering out in centre of belly; undertail brown; underwing off-white, with brownish mottling on coverts, and with pale brownish-grey trailing edge and tip; iris brownish-grey to dark brown; bill black-brown to black; legs grey to blue-grey. Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female. Juvenile undescribed. Race olivacea is like nominate, but darker olive above.

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Usually near water. Preferred habitat tall canegrass (Saccharum) and other grasses (e.g. Imperata), often in or bordering wetlands, but also inhabits canegrass savanna with scattered shrubs and trees, and commonly in mangroves. Found also in groves of coconut palms or Pandanus in or bordering canegrass or beside lagoons and other wetlands; reeds in riparian marshland; riparian secondary growth; riparian and coastal scrub; coconut plantations; and locally common in trees and shrubs in gardens of some towns or homesteads. Said to occur also in riparian woodland. Confined to lowlands, usually near coast.

No information; probably largely resident.

Nectar and insects. Forages among stems and leaves of canegrass, and among other foliage; seen also to forage at flowers (including Melaleuca, coconut palms, and Hibiscus in gardens). Singly, in twos (probably pairs) or in small groups. Active, conspicuous and often confiding; moves rapidly in dense vegetation, and can be difficult to observe.

Noisy. Main call, often given by several birds at same time, a loud descending series of musical but coarse, squawking notes, “skwitch-skwitch-skwitch…”, “kweek-kweek-kweek…”, “shree-shree-shree-shree…” or “szi-szi-szi-szi…”, usually of 5 notes and given rapidly; described also as loud descending series, accelerating towards end, “chip…chip-chip-chip-chip-chip-chip-chip”. Reported also as giving variant that ascends in pitch and decelerates. Dawn call a repeated, lively, sibilant “jit”. Song described as coarse trill, this possibly same as one of aforementioned vocalizations; song also said to be identical to that of L. indistincta.

Recorded in most months, with possible peak in late dry season (Sept–Oct) and little or no breeding in early wet season, clutches early Mar, Apr, Jun–Jul and Sept–Oct, active nests Aug and Nov, and juveniles Apr; also nest-building in Nov and Dec and birds in breeding condition late Mar to Apr. Nest built by both sexes, usually taking 7–10 days, sometimes only four days, a neat, compact but still fairly substantial cup of dead leaves, plant fibres (e.g. of coconut palm), small pieces of bark and some dried grass, bound with spider web and egg sacs and cobweb, lined with plant down, occasionally incorporating artificial materials (e.g. pieces of paper, and threads of plastic) when around human habitation, two nests externally 78 × 57 mm and 70 × 64 mm; usually suspended by rim from outer twigs, commonly in shrubs but also in trees (including coconut palm) or in herbs and suggested that probably mainly in canegrass, mean height above ground 1·7 m for 21 nests, of which 14 in shrub less than 2 m tall, five in raintree (Samanea) 2–5 m above ground, and singles 1·5 m up in yam (Dioscorea variegata) and 2·5 m above ground in mango (Mangifera indica). Clutch 2 eggs; incubation period for one egg 14 days; chicks fed by both parents, nestling period for one chick 12 days; parents did not abandon eggs or nestlings even when observed closely.

Not globally threatened. Considered locally common to abundant; recently found to be uncommon in Idenburg-Mamberamo Basins. Unconfirmed reports of nominate race in Ok Tedi region (Ok Ma and Ok Menga), to 750 m; perhaps unlikely, but meriting ­investigation.