The fuscous honeyeater (Ptilotula fusca) is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to eastern Australia, where it inhabits subtropical and tropical dry forests.

Fuscous honeyeater
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Meliphagidae
Genus: Ptilotula
Species:
P. fusca
Binomial name
Ptilotula fusca
(Gould, 1837)
Synonyms

Lichenostomus fuscus

The fuscous honeyeater was previously placed in the genus Lichenostomus, but was moved to Ptilotula after a molecular phylogenetic analysis, published in 2011, showed that the original genus was polyphyletic.[2][3]

Description

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The fuscous honeyeater is dull grey-brown to olive-brown above with buffy-grey underparts. The bill is black and the eye-ring dark. It has a small black and yellow plume formed by the rear edge of the ear coverts.[4]

Similar species include grey-fronted honeyeater, yellow-plumed honeyeater and white-plumed honeyeater.[5][6]

Call

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They have numerous calls, notably a distinctive rollicking arig arig a taw taw, a clear flutey cheer tor cheer and an incessant chip contact call.[7]

Ecology and behaviour

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Fuscous honeyeaters live in colonies in dry eucalypt forest and woodland, mostly inland of the Great Dividing Range, but in New South Wales and Queensland also in coastal heathy forest.[7] They are sometimes also found in gardens, and in patches of remnant forest on farms.[5]

They are mostly sedentary, though will make some nomadic movements in response to drought and flowering of eucalypts.[6] In the southeast of their range, they make some seasonal altitudinal movements, moving down from higher regions in during colder months.[5][7]

Diet

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Fuscous honeyeaters are mainly insectivorous, foraging actively mainly in outer and upper foliage, branches and trunks of eucalypts, and taking insects on the wing.[6] They also feed opportunistically on nectar,[7] including from eucalypts and mistletoes, lerp and honeydew.[6]

 
Fuscous honeyeater nest

Conservation status

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The species is listed under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as a species of Least Concern.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2018). "Ptilotula fusca". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22704088A130252398. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22704088A130252398.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Nyári, Á.S.; Joseph, L. (2011). "Systematic dismantlement of Lichenostomus improves the basis for understanding relationships within the honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) and historical development of Australo–Papuan bird communities". Emu. 111 (3): 202–211. doi:10.1071/mu10047. S2CID 85333285.
  3. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David (eds.). "Honeyeaters". World Bird List Version 6.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  4. ^ Morcombe, Michael (2012) Field Guide to Australian Birds. Pascal Press, Glebe, NSW. Revised edition. ISBN 978174021417-9
  5. ^ a b c "Fuscous Honeyeater". Birdlife Australia. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Tzaros, C. (2021) Wildlife of the Box-Ironbark Country. 2nd Edition, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, Victoria, ISBN 9781486313150
  7. ^ a b c d Menkhorst, P., Rogers, D., Clarke, R., Davies, J., Marsack, P., Franklin, K. (2019) The Australian Bird Guide: Revised Edition, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, Victoria, ISBN 9781486311934