Yellow-spotted honeyeater
| Yellow-spotted honeyeater | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Meliphagidae |
| Genus: | Meliphaga |
| Species: | M. notata |
| Binomial name | |
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Meliphaga notata (Gould, 1867) |
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The yellow-spotted honeyeater (Meliphaga notata) is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is also known as the lesser lewin. The bird is endemic to northern Queensland. The bird's common name refers to the yellow patch members of the species have behind their eyes.
The yellow-spotted honeyeater is olive, brown, and gray in color. The bird's weight ranges from around 23 to 30 grams, and the wingspan ranges from about 8 to 9 centimeters. The species contains two subspecies, which are known as Meliphaga notata notata and Meliphaga notata mixta. Yellow-spotted honeyeaters are aggressive and have a loud and metallic call.
The yellow-spotted honeyeater is olive-brown on the top and olive-gray on the bottom. However, there are brighter yellow areas on the bird's head. The bird has brown legs, feet, eyes, and a brown beak. It is 16 to 20 centimetres (6.3 to 7.9 in) in size.
The mass of male yellow-spotted honeyeaters ranges from 24 to 29.5 grams, and averages at 27 grams. Females range from 23.5 to 30 grams, and average at 25.9 grams.
For the subspecies Meliphaga notata notata, the average wingspan is 8.6 to 9.1 centimetres (3.4 to 3.6 in) for males and 7.9 to 8.3 centimetres (3.1 to 3.3 in) for females. For the subspecies Meliphaga notata mixta, the average wingspan is 8.3 to 8.7 centimetres (3.3 to 3.4 in) for males and 7.7 to 8.1 centimetres (3.0 to 3.2 in) for females.
The bird largely lives in the tropical rainforests of North Queensland in extreme northeastern Australia, between Mackay and northern Cape York Peninsula. However, sightings have occurred in east-central or even southeastern Australia. In 1901, it was also said to inhabit New Guinea.
Yellow-spotted honeyeaters typically live at elevations of 200 metres (660 ft) or greater. They have been observed at elevations as high as 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above sea level, although they are not often observed above 500 metres (1,600 ft). While the birds typically live in forests, they have been known to visit suburbs with sufficient tree cover. They have even been observed in some cities that use local plants for landscaping. The species lives in both open forests and forests with an understory of shrubs.
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Wikipedia