Yellow-winged Honeyeater

Yellow-winged Honeyeater

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The yellow-winged honeyeater(Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), also known as the white-eyed honeyeater, is a medium-sized member of the honeyeater family (Meliphagidae) with a body size of around 18 cm. It is only found in the south and east of Australia and on Tasmania.

The plumage of the yellow-winged honeyeater is coloured black on the upper side of the body and white on the underside. The tip of its tail and the tips of its wings are bright yellow in colour, which is how it got its name. Its iris is glossy white and thus stands out clearly from the black head.

The yellow-winged honeyeater inhabits heathlands, savannahs, steppes and open forests. It is also often found in parks and gardens near human settlements. It feeds mainly on flower nectar, insects and spiders. When foraging, it often forms larger groups of different honeyeater species in order to find new feeding sites together.

The breeding season of the yellow-winged honeyeater is between July and November. The cup-shaped nest is built from grass, tree bark, leaves, twigs and cobwebs, mainly by the female, in a tree or large bush. The clutch consists of one to four eggs, although two to three eggs are common. These are incubated exclusively by the female for around 13 to 15 days. The young birds are then fed by both parents for a further 12 to 16 days until they are ready to fledge.

The population of the yellow-winged honeyeater is currently not endangered. It has a very large range in Australia and is quite common in most areas. It has also adapted well to the ever-increasing influence of humans.