The Zoochat Photographic Guide to Meliphagoidea (honeyeaters and allies)

MELIPHAGOIDEA



The Meliphagoidea is a group of birds which evolved in ancient Australia and is still predominantly found within the region. A few species have spread westwards through the Indonesian archipelago (with one species even occuring on the mainland of southeast Asia), and others have spread east through the islands of the tropical and south Pacific Ocean, but the majority of species are found in Australia and New Guinea.


The group is a fairly new taxonomic construct because, until the advent of DNA testing, relationships were largely determined through morphology - i.e. what they physically look like - and the different families within this group look remarkably different to one another. The Meliphagidae (honeyeaters) are adapted for feeding on nectar, while Pardalotidae (pardalotes) look like flowerpeckers, Dasyornithidae (bristlebirds) look like babblers or thrushes, Acanthizidae (thornbills and gerygones) look like Old World warblers, and Maluridae (Australian wrens) look like Old World wrens.


The family Petroicidae (Australasian robins) was also placed into Meliphagoidea at one point but as this is no longer the current opinion I have not included these species within this thread.



Family Meliphagidae: honeyeaters
Family Pardalotidae: pardalotes
Family Dasyornithidae: bristlebirds
Family Acanthizidae: scrubwrens, thornbills, and gerygones
Family Maluridae: fairy-wrens, emu-wrens, and grasswrens

 

This is the full species list as presented in the thread. Asterisked species are depicted with photos from the Zoochat galleries.

The sequence of genera largely follows the online resource Birds Of The World, although I have placed the species alphabetically within each genus.



MELIPHAGIDAE
186 species in 55 genera. There are 76 species from 35 genera depicted here.


Myza (2 species - 1 depicted)
Lesser Sulawesi Honeyeater Myza celebensis
*Greater Sulawesi Honeyeater Myza sarasinorum

Acanthorhynchus (2 species - 2 depicted)
*Western Spinebill Acanthorhynchus superciliosus
*Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris

Glycichaera (1 species - 0 depicted)
Green-backed Honeyeater Glycichaera fallax

Melionyx (3 species - 0 depicted)
Sooty Honeyeater Melionyx fuscus
Short-bearded Honeyeater Melionyx nouhuysi
Long-bearded Honeyeater Melionyx princeps

Ptiloprora (6 species - 0 depicted)
Rufous-sided Honeyeater Ptiloprora erythropleura
Rufous-backed Honeyeater Ptiloprora guisei
Mayr's Honeyeater Ptiloprora mayri
Yellowish-streaked Honeyeater Ptiloprora meekiana
Grey-streaked Honeyeater Ptiloprora perstriata
Leaden Honeyeater Ptiloprora plumbea

Ashbyia (1 species - 0 depicted)
Gibberbird Ashbyia lovensis

Epthianura (4 species - 3 depicted)
*White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons
*Orange Chat Epthianura aurifrons
Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea
*Crimson Chat Epthianura tricolor

Stresemannia (1 species - 0 depicted)
Bougainville Honeyeater Stresemannia bougainvillei

Conopophila (3 species - 1 depicted)
*Rufous-banded Honeyeater Conopophila albogularis
Rufous-throated Honeyeater Conopophila rufogularis
Grey Honeyeater Conopophila whitei

Ramsayornis (2 species - 1 depicted)
Bar-breasted Honeyeater Ramsayornis fasciatus
*Brown-backed Honeyeater Ramsayornis modestus

Melilestes (1 species - 0 depicted)
Long-billed Honeyeater Melilestes megarhynchus

Timeliopsis (2 species - 0 depicted)
Olive Straightbill Timeliopsis fulvigula
Tawny Straightbill Timeliopsis griseigula

Melipotes (4 species - 1 depicted)
Spangled Honeyeater Melipotes ater
Wattled Smoky Honeyeater Melipotes carolae
*Common Smoky Honeyeater Melipotes fumigatus
Arfak Honeyeater Melipotes gymnops

Macgregoria (1 species - 0 depicted)
MacGregor's Honeyeater Macgregoria pulchra

Glycifohia (2 species - 1 depicted)
Vanuatu Honeyeater Glycifohia notabilis
*Barred Honeyeater Glycifohia undulata

Gliciphila (1 species - 1 depicted)
*Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Gliciphila melanops

Pycnopygius (3 species - 0 depicted)
Marbled Honeyeater Pycnopygius cinereus
Plain Honeyeater Pycnopygius ixoides
Streak-headed Honeyeater Pycnopygius stictocephalus

Certhionyx (1 species - 1 depicted)
*Pied Honeyeater Certhionyx variegatus

Prosthemadera (1 species - 1 depicted)
*Tui Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

Anthornis (2 species - 1 depicted)
Chatham Island Bellbird Anthornis melanocephala (extinct)
*New Zealand Bellbird Anthornis melanura

Sugomel (2 species - 1 depicted)
Scaly-crowned Honeyeater Sugomel lombokium
*Black Honeyeater Sugomel nigrum

Melitograis (1 species - 0 depicted)
White-streaked Friarbird Melitograis gilolensis

Vosea (1 species - 0 depicted)
Gilliard's Honeyeater Vosea whitemanensis

Myzomela (45 species - 5 depicted)
Mountain Myzomela Myzomela adolphinae
White-chinned Myzomela Myzomela albigula
Bacan Myzomela Myzomela batjanensis
Drab Myzomela Myzomela blasii
Banda Myzomela Myzomela boiei
*New Caledonian Myzomela Myzomela caledonica
*Cardinal Myzomela Myzomela cardinalis
Rotuma Myzomela Myzomela chermesina
Sulawesi Myzomela Myzomela chloroptera
Ashy Myzomela Myzomela cineracea
Red Myzomela Myzomela cruentata
Sumba Myzomela Myzomela dammermani
Crimson-rumped Myzomela Myzomela eichhorni
Ruby-throated Myzomela Myzomela eques
Reddish Myzomela Myzomela erythrina
*Red-headed Myzomela Myzomela erythrocephala
Black-bellied Myzomela Myzomela erythromelas
Roti Myzomela Myzomela irianawidodoae
Orange-breasted Myzomela Myzomela jugularis
Wetar Myzomela Myzomela kuehni
Red-capped Myzomela Myzomela lafargei
Long-billed Myzomela Myzomela longirostris
Red-vested Myzomela Myzomela malaitae
Black-headed Myzomela Myzomela melanocephala
Papuan Black Myzomela Myzomela nigrita
*Dusky Myzomela Myzomela obscura
Bismarck Black Myzomela Myzomela pammelaena
Alor Myzomela Myzomela prawiradilagae
New Ireland Myzomela Myzomela pulchella
Red-collared Myzomela Myzomela rosenbergi
Micronesian Myzomela Myzomela rubrata
Biak Myzomela Myzomela rubrobrunnea
Red-tinged Myzomela Myzomela rubrotincta
*Scarlet Myzomela Myzomela sanguinolenta
Sclater's Myzomela Myzomela sclateri
Moluccan Myzomela Myzomela simplex
Sooty Myzomela Myzomela tristrami
Black-breasted Myzomela Myzomela vulnerata
Taliabu Myzomela Myzomela wahe
Wakolo Myzomela Myzomela wakoloensis

Philemon (18 species - 8 depicted)
Manus Friarbird Philemon albitorques
*Silver-crowned Friarbird Philemon argenticeps
Brass' Friarbird Philemon brassi
*Helmeted Friarbird Philemon buceroides
*Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis
New Britain Friarbird Philemon cockerelli
*Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
*New Caledonian Friarbird Philemon diemenensis
New Ireland Friarbird Philemon eichhorni
Morotai Friarbird Philemon fuscicapillus
*Timor Friarbird Philemon inornatus
Grey Friarbird Philemon kisserensis
Meyer's Friarbird Philemon meyeri
*Buru Friarbird Philemon moluccensis
New Guinea Friarbird Philemon novaeguineae
Tanimbar Friarbird Philemon plumigenis
Seram Friarbird Philemon subcorniculatus
*Hornbill Friarbird Philemon yorki

Xanthotis (3 species - 2 depicted)
*Tawny-breasted Honeyeater Xanthotis flaviventer
*Macleay's Honeyeater Xanthotis macleayanus
Spotted Honeyeater Xanthotis polygrammus

Plectorhyncha (1 species - 1 depicted)
*Striped Honeyeater Plectorhyncha lanceolata

Grantiella (1 species - 0 depicted)
Painted Honeyeater Grantiella picta

Trichodere (1 species - 0 depicted)
White-streaked Honeyeater Trichodere cockerelli

Phylidonyris (3 species - 3 depicted)
*White-cheeked Honeyeater Phylidonyris nigra
*New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
*Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera

Lichmera (10 species - 2 depicted)
Silver-eared Honeyeater Lichmera alboauricularis
Olive Honeyeater Lichmera argentauris
Buru Honeyeater Lichmera deningeri
Flame-eared Honeyeater Lichmera flavicans
*Dark-brown Honeyeater Lichmera incana
*Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
Indonesian Honeyeater Lichmera limbata
Seram Honeyeater Lichmera monticola
Black-necklaced Honeyeater Lichmera notabilis
Scaly-breasted Honeyeater Lichmera squamata

Cissomela (1 species - 0 depicted)
Banded Honeyeater Cissomela pectoralis

Guadalcanaria (1 species - 0 depicted)
Guadalcanal Honeyeater Guadalcanaria inexpectata

Meliarchus (1 species - 0 depicted)
Makira Honeyeater Meliarchus sclateri

Gymnomyza (4 species - 0 depicted)
Crow Honeyeater Gymnomyza aubryana
Giant Honeyeater Gymnomyza brunneirostris
Mao Gymnomyza samoensis
Yellow-billed Honeyeater Gymnomyza viridis

Foulehaio (3 species - 3 depicted)
*Eastern or Polynesian Wattled Honeyeater Foulehaio carunculatus
*Western Wattled Honeyeater or Kikau Foulehaio procerior
*Northern or Fijian Wattled Honeyeater Foulehaio taviunensis

Meliphacator (1 species - 0 depicted)
Kadavu Honeyeater Meliphacator provocator

Nesoptilotis (2 species - 1 depicted)
Yellow-throated Honeyeater Nesoptilotis flavicollis
*White-eared Honeyeater Nesoptilotis leucotis

Entomyzon ( 1 species - 1 depicted)
*Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis

Melithreptus (7 species - 5 depicted)
Black-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus affinis
*White-throated Honeyeater Melithreptus albogularis
*Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris
*Gilbert's Honeyeater Melithreptus chloropsis
*Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis
*White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus
Strong-billed Honeyeater Melithreptus validirostris

Stomiopera (2 species - 2 depicted)
*Yellow Honeyeater Stomiopera flava
*White-gaped Honeyeater Stomiopera unicolor

Meliphaga (3 species - 2 depicted)
Puff-backed Honeyeater Meliphaga aruensis
*Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
*Yellow-spotted Honeyeater Meliphaga notata

Purnella (1 species - 0 depicted)
*White-fronted Honeyeater Purnella albifrons

Lichenostomus (2 species - 2 depicted)
*Purple-gaped Honeyeater Lichenostomus cratitius
*Yellow-tufted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops

Microptilotis (10 species - 3 depicted)
*Scrub Honeyeater Microptilotis albonotatus
Mimic Honeyeater Microptilotis analogus
Elegant Honeyeater Microptilotis cinereifrons
*Yellow-gaped Honeyeater Microptilotis flavirictus
Graceful Honeyeater Microptilotis gracilis
*Cryptic Honeyeater Microptilotis imitatrix
Mottle-breasted Honeyeater Microptilotis mimikae
Forest Honeyeater Microptilotis montanus
Mountain Honeyeater Microptilotis orientalis
Tagula Honeyeater Microptilotis vicina

Territornis (3 species - 0 depicted)
White-lined Honeyeater Territornis albilineata
Kimberley Honeyeater Territornis fordiana
Streak-breasted Honeyeater Territornis reticulata

Gavicalis (3 species - 3 depicted)
*Mangrove Honeyeater Gavicalis fasciogularis
*Varied Honeyeater Gavicalis versicolor
*Singing Honeyeater Gavicalis virescens

Oreornis (1 species - 0 depicted)
Orange-cheeked Honeyeater Oreornis chrysogenys

Ptilotula (6 species - 5 depicted)
Yellow-tinted Honeyeater Ptilotula flavescens
*Fuscous Honeyeater Ptilotula fuscus
*Grey-headed Honeyeater Ptilotula keartlandi
*Yellow-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula ornatus
*White-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula penicillatus
*Grey-fronted Honeyeater Ptilotula plumulus

Caligavis (3 species - 1 depicted)
*Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops
Obscure Honeyeater Caligavis obscura
Black-throated Honeyeater Caligavis subfrenata

Anthochaera (5 species - 5 depicted)
*Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
*Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
*Western Wattlebird Anthochaera lunulata
*Yellow Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa
*Regent Honeyeater Anthochaera phrygia

Acanthagenys (1 species - 1 depicted)
*Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis

Bolemoreus (2 species - 1 depicted)
*Bridled Honeyeater Bolemoreus frenatus
Eungella Honeyeater Bolemoreus hindwoodi

Melidectes (6 species - 1 depicted)
Belford's Melidectes Melidectes belfordi
Huon Melidectes Melidectes foersteri
Vogelkop Melidectes Melidectes leucostephes
Cinnamon-browed Melidectes Melidectes ochromelas
*Yellow-browed Melidectes Melidectes rufocrissalis
Ornate Melidectes Melidectes torquatus

Manorina (4 species - 3 depicted)
*Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula
*Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
*Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys
Black-eared Miner Manorina melanotis


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PARDALOTIDAE
Four species in a single genus, three of which are depicted here.


Pardalotus (4 species - 3 depicted)
*Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Forty-spotted Pardalote Pardalotus quadragintus
*Red-browed Pardalote Pardalotus rubricatus
*Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus


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DASYORNITHIDAE
Three species in a single genus, one of which is depicted here.


Dasyornis (3 species - 1 depicted)
*Eastern Bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus
Rufous Bristlebird Dasyornis broadbenti
Western Bristlebird Dasyornis longirostris


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ACANTHIZIDAE
Sixty-seven species in fifteen genera. Thirty-two species from ten genera are depicted here.


Pachycare (1 species - 0 depicted)
Goldenface Pachycare flavogriseum

Oreoscopus (1 species - 0 depicted)
Fernwren Oreoscopus gutturalis

Acanthornis (1 species - 0 depicted)
Scrubtit Acanthornis magna

Smicrornis (1 species - 1 depicted)
*Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris

Calamanthus (3 species - 1 depicted)
Rufous Fieldwren Calamanthus campestris
*Striated Fieldwren Calamanthus fuliginosus
Western Fieldwren Calamanthus montanellus

Hylacola (2 species - 1 depicted)
Shy Heathwren Hylacola cauta
*Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Hylacola pyrrhopygia

Pycnoptilus (1 species - 0 depicted)
Pilotbird Pycnoptilus floccosus

Pyrrholaemus (2 species - 1 depicted)
Redthroat Pyrrholaemus brunneus
*Speckled Warbler Pyrrholaemus sagittatus

Origma (3 species - 1 depicted)
Rusty Mouse-Warbler Origma (Crateroscelis) murina
Mountain Mouse-Warbler Origma (Crateroscelis) robusta
*Rock Warbler Origma solitaria

Neosericornis (1 species - 1 depicted)
(Species formerly in Sericornis)
*Yellow-throated Scrubwren Neosericornis citreogularis

Aethomyias (6 species - 0 depicted)
(Species formerly in Crateroscelis and Sericornis)
Grey-green Scrubwren Aethomyias arfakianus
Bicoloured Scrubwren Aethomyias nigrorufus
Papuan Scrubwren Aethomyias papuensis
Buff-faced Scrubwren Aethomyias perspicillatus
Vogelkop Scrubwren Aethomyias rufescens
Pale-billed Scrubwren Aethomyias spilodera

Sericornis (8 species - 5 depicted)
(Some other species have been moved to Aethomyias and Neosericornis)
Tropical Scrubwren Sericornis beccarii
*White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
*Tasmanian or Brown Scrubwren Sericornis humilis
*Atherton Scrubwren Sericornis keri
*Spotted Scrubwren Sericornis maculatus
*Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostris
Large Scrubwren Sericornis nouhuysi
Perplexing Scrubwren Sericornis virgatus

Gerygone (20 species - 10 depicted)
Chatham Islands Gerygone Gerygone albofrontata
Green-backed Gerygone Gerygone chloronota
Yellow-bellied Gerygone Gerygone chrysogaster
Rennell Gerygone Gerygone citrina
Rufous-sided Gerygone Gerygone dorsalis
*Fan-tailed Gerygone Gerygone flavolateralis
*Western Gerygone Gerygone fusca
Biak Gerygone Gerygone hypoxantha
*Grey Gerygone Gerygone igata
Plain Gerygone Gerygone inornata
Lord Howe Gerygone Gerygone insularis (extinct)
*Mangrove Gerygone Gerygone levigaster
*Large-billed Gerygone Gerygone magnirostris
*Norfolk Gerygone Gerygone modesta
*Brown Gerygone Gerygone mouki
*White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea
*Fairy Gerygone Gerygone palpebrosa
Brown-breasted Gerygone Gerygone ruficollis
*Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea
Dusky Gerygone Gerygone tenebrosa

Acanthiza (14 species - 10 depicted)
*Inland Thornbill Acanthiza apicalis
*Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
Grey Thornbill Acanthiza cinerea
*Tasmanian Thornbill Acanthiza ewingii
*Western Thornbill Acanthiza inornata
Slender-billed Thornbill Acanthiza iredalei
*Mountain Thornbill Acanthiza katherina
*Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata
New Guinea Thornbill Acanthiza murina
*Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana
*Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
*Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides
Slaty-backed Thornbill Acanthiza robustirostris
*Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis

Aphelocephala (3 species - 1 depicted)
*Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis
Banded Whiteface Aphelocephala nigricincta
Chestnut-breasted Whiteface Aphelocephala pectoralis


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MALURIDAE
Twenty-two species in six genera. Fourteen species from three genera are depicted here.


Chenorhamphus (2 species - 0 depicted)
Campbell's Fairy-Wren Chenorhamphus campbelli
Broad-billed Fairy-Wren Chenorhamphus grayi

Clytomyias (1 species - 0 depicted)
Orange-crowned Fairy-Wren Clytomyias insignis

Sipodotus (1 species - 0 depicted)
Wallace's Fairy-Wren Sipodotus wallacii

Malurus (12 species - 9 depicted)
White-shouldered Fairy-Wren Malurus alboscapulatus
*Lovely Fairy-Wren Malurus amabilis
*Purple-backed Fairy-Wren Malurus assimilis
*Purple-crowned Fairy-Wren Malurus coronatus
*Superb Fairy-Wren Malurus cyaneus
Emperor Fairy-Wren Malurus cyanocephalus
*Red-winged Fairy-Wren Malurus elegans
*Variegated Fairy-Wren Malurus lamberti
*White-winged Fairy-Wren Malurus leucopterus
*Red-backed Fairy-Wren Malurus melanocephalus
Blue-breasted Fairy-Wren Malurus pulcherrimus
*Splendid Fairy-Wren Malurus splendens

Stipiturus (3 species - 2 depicted)
Southern Emu-Wren Stipiturus malachurus
*Mallee Emu-Wren Stipiturus mallee
*Rufous-crowned Emu-Wren Stipiturus ruficeps

Amytornis (13 species - 3 depicted)
Kalkadoon Grasswren Amytornis ballarae
Grey Grasswren Amytornis barbatus
Carpentarian Grasswren Amytornis dorotheae
*Eyrean Grasswren Amytornis goyderi
Black Grasswren Amytornis housei
Short-tailed Grasswren Amytornis merrotsyi
Thick-billed Grasswren Amytornis modestus
*Dusky Grasswren Amytornis purnelli
Opalton Grasswren Amytornis rowleyi
*Striated Grasswren Amytornis striatus
Western Grasswren Amytornis textilis
Rufous Grasswren Amytornis whitei
White-throated Grasswren Amytornis woodwardi

 

MELIPHAGIDAE - Honeyeaters
There are 186 species in 55 genera, of which 76 species from 35 genera are represented in the Zoochat galleries.


Meliphagidae is a fairly large family of birds found throughout Australasia. Almost half the species are from Australia itself while the bulk of the remainder are from New Guinea. In addition several species occur outside of Australia and New Guinea: in the Indonesian archipelago as far west as Sulawesi and Bali; in the tropical Pacific as far east as Tonga and Samoa; and in the New Zealand region as far east as the Chatham Islands and as far south as the subantarctic Auckland Islands.

Honeyeaters range from very small to medium in size - as a rough comparison, from the size of a sunbird to the size of a crow. In most species the sexes are similar in appearance, although males are usually larger than females. Most honeyeaters feed largely on nectar supplemented with fruit and insects, and while the majority live in forest they tend to be adaptable to human-modified landscapes. In Australia many species live in scrub or in some species even in arid country.


The Australian chats (Epthianura) and the Gibberbird Ashbyia lovensis are now known to be aberrant honeyeaters, which live on the ground and feed on insects in similar fashion to the Old World chats. The Macgregor's Bird of Paradise Macgregoria pulchra of New Guinea is now also considered to be a honeyeater, although this was probably a less-surprising revelation than for the Australian chats, and has been renamed MacGregor's Honeyeater.


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In contrast some species formerly thought to be honeyeaters have been removed from the family as DNA studies have shown them to not be related after all. The Golden Honeyeater Cleptornis marchei of the Mariana Islands (Micronesia) and the Bonin Honeyeater Apalopteron familiare of the Bonin Islands (Japan) are now placed in the family Zosteropidae (white-eyes), and renamed as Golden White-eye and Bonin White-eye respectively. The Stitchbird or Hihi Notiomystis cincta of New Zealand has been moved to its own monotypic family Notiomystidae, thought to be most closely - although still distantly - related to the New Zealand wattlebirds (Callaeidae). The Sugarbirds of South Africa, with the two species Promerops cafer and Promerops gurneyi, also used to be included in the Meliphagidae until the 1980s but are now in their own family Promeropidae, although there is uncertainty about which other birds they are actually related to.


Photo of Golden White-eye Cleptornis marchei by @WhistlingKite24 at Honolulu Zoo, USA.


Golden White-eye - ZooChat


Photo of male Stitchbird Notiomystis cincta by @Chlidonias in the wild, New Zealand.


male stitchbird (Notiomystis cincta) - ZooChat


Photo of Cape Sugarbird Promerops cafer by @wstefan in the wild, South Africa.


Cape sugarbird (Promerops cafer) - ZooChat


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Two extinct genera from the Hawaiian Islands - Moho and Chaetoptila - have traditionally been treated as honeyeaters but it has been argued that they should instead be separated as their own distinct family, the Mohoidae, more closely related to the silky-flycatchers and waxwings. Because they are all extinct I won't be covering them within the thread beyond this post.

There were four species of Moho (the Oahu O'o M. apicalis, extinct c.1837; Molokai O'o M. bishopi, extinct c.1981; Kauai O'o M. braccatus, extinct c.1987; and Hawaii O'o M. nobilis, extinct c.1934) and at least one species of Chaetoptila (the Kioea C. angustipluma, known from only four museum specimens from Hawaii collected in the mid-1800s, although subfossil remains are known of this or related species from other islands such as Oahu and Maui). All species became extinct through a combination of hunting and the introduction of mammalian predators, and in the most recent extinctions probably additionally from the spread of avian malaria through the islands.


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In total there are about 186 species of honeyeaters in 55 genera, as currently recognised. Both of these numbers are quite a bit higher than in previous decades. Genetic research has shown that many of the larger genera were composed of species which looked similar but weren't actually that closely related - for example, the genus Meliphaga contained over thirty species in the 1980s and now contains just three species. Many species - especially island forms - have also been split into two or more species as is the current trend in taxonomy.

I looked up the taxonomy used in my 1980 copy of Howard & Moore's Birds Of The World in order to provide a comparison, and at that time there were about 170 species recognised in the family but in only 37 genera, including five which are no longer in Meliphagidae - Cleptornis (Golden White-eye), Apalopteron (Bonin White-eye), Notiomystis (Stitchbird), Moho (Hawaiian O'o) and Promerops (the South African Sugarbirds).


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There are 76 species of honeyeater from 35 genera depicted in the Zoochat galleries - representing over 40% of the species and over half the genera. Almost all the depicted species are Australian, with a scattering of island species and almost no New Guinea species. There are only 18 species of Australian honeyeaters which aren't represented in the Zoochat galleries (out of c.75 species found in that country).

 

Myza
Two species, one of which is represented in the Zoochat galleries.



Lesser Sulawesi Honeyeater Myza celebensis
Two subspecies: celebensis and meridionalis

Also called Dark-eared Honeyeater or Dark-eared Myza.


Endemic to the mountain forests of Sulawesi, with celebensis in the north, central and southeast of the island; and meridionalis in the southwest of the island.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Greater Sulawesi Honeyeater Myza sarasinorum
Three subspecies: chionogenys, pholidota, sarasinorum

Also called White-eared Honeyeater or White-eared Myza.


Endemic to the mountain forests of Sulawesi, with chionogenys in central Sulawesi; pholidota in the southeast of the island; and sarasinorum in the north of the island.


Photo by @Chlidonias in the wild, Sulawesi (subspecies chionogenys).


Greater Sulawesi Honeyeater (Myza sarasinorum chionogenys) - ZooChat

 

Acanthorhynchus
Two species, both of which are represented in the Zoochat galleries.

In this genus the male and female birds are different in colouration.



Western Spinebill Acanthorhynchus superciliosus
Monotypic.


Endemic to southwestern Western Australia.


Photo by @Hix in the wild, Australia (female bird).


Western Spinebill - ZooChat



Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Four subspecies: cairnsensis, dubius, halmaturinus, tenuirostris


Found throughout eastern Australia: cairnsensis in northeastern Queensland; dubius in Tasmania and on the Bass Strait islands; halmaturinus in southern South Australia and on Kangaroo Island; and tenuirostris from east-central Queensland down to southeastern South Australia.


Photo by @WhistlingKite24 in the wild, Australia (male of the subspecies dubius).


Tasmanian Eastern Spinebill - ZooChat


Photo by @Hix in the wild, Australia (male of the subspecies halmaturinus).


Eastern Spinebill - ZooChat


Photo by @WhistlingKite24 in the wild, Australia (male of the subspecies tenuirostris).


Eastern Spinebill - ZooChat

 

Glycichaera
One species, which is not represented in the Zoochat galleries.



Green-backed Honeyeater Glycichaera fallax
Three subspecies: claudi, fallax, pallida


Found in New Guinea through to Australia's Cape York Peninsula: claudi on Cape York Peninsula; fallax on the New Guinea mainland as well as in the Aru Islands, and on the islands of Misool and Yapen; and pallida on the islands of Batanta and Waigeo.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Melionyx
Three species, none of which are represented in the Zoochat galleries.

All species are from montane forests of New Guinea, and formerly have been included in the genus Melidectes.



Sooty Honeyeater Melionyx fuscus
Monotypic.


Found in the mountain forests of west-central to southeast New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Short-bearded Honeyeater Melionyx nouhuysi
Monotypic.


Found in the mountain forests of west-central New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Long-bearded Honeyeater Melionyx princeps
Monotypic.


Found in the mountain forests of east-central New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Ptiloprora
Six species, none of which are represented in the Zoochat galleries.

All species are from montane forests of New Guinea.



Rufous-sided Honeyeater Ptiloprora erythropleura
Two subspecies: dammermanni and erythropleura


Found in western New Guinea with dammermanni in west-central montane regions, and erythropleura on the Vogelkop Peninsula.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Rufous-backed Honeyeater Ptiloprora guisei
Monotypic.


Found in the mountain forests of eastern New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Mayr's Honeyeater Ptiloprora mayri
Two subspecies: acrophila and mayri


Found in the Bewani Mountains in east-central New Guinea (acrophila), and in the mountains of the northern coast (mayri).


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Yellowish-streaked Honeyeater Ptiloprora meekiana
Two subspecies: meekiana and occidentalis


Found in the mountain forests from the northeast to southwest of New Guinea (meekiana), and west-central New Guinea (occidentalis).


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Grey-streaked Honeyeater Ptiloprora perstriata
Monotypic.


Found in the mountain forests of eastern New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Leaden Honeyeater Ptiloprora plumbea
Monotypic.


Found in the mountain forests from central to southeastern New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Ashbyia
One species, which is not represented in the Zoochat galleries.

An atypical honeyeater which, as in the related genus Epthianura, is a ground-dwelling chat-like bird which feeds on insects.



Gibberbird Ashbyia lovensis
Monotypic.


Endemic to the gibber deserts of central Australia.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Epthianura
Four species, three of which are represented in the Zoochat galleries.

An Australian genus of atypical honeyeaters which are ground-dwelling chat-like birds. Males and females are different in colouration.



White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons
Monotypic.


Found across most of southern Australia from southwestern Western Australia to eastern NSW, and in Tasmania.


Photo by @akasha in the wild, Australia (male bird).


White-fronted Chat - ZooChat


Photo by @LaughingDove in the wild, Australia (female bird).


White-fronted Chat - Rottnest Island - ZooChat



Orange Chat Epthianura aurifrons
Monotypic.


Found over most of western and central Australia.


Photo by @Hix in the wild, Australia (male bird).


Orange Chat - ZooChat


Photo by @Hix in the wild, Australia (female bird).


Orange Chat female - ZooChat



Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea
Three subspecies: crocea, macgregori, tunneyi


Found in scattered areas across most of Australia, with crocea from Western Australia to NSW and Tasmania; macgregori in coastal Queensland; and tunneyi in the Northern Territory's Arnhem Land.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Crimson Chat Epthianura tricolor
Monotypic.


Found across most of Australia except the north, far south, and Tasmania.


Photo by @Hix at Alice Springs Desert Park, Australia (male bird in breeding plumage).


Crimson Chat - ZooChat


Photo by @Terry Thomas in the wild, Australia (immature male bird).


Crimson chat - ZooChat


Photo by @Terry Thomas in the wild, Australia (female bird).


Female crimson chat - ZooChat


Photo by @Goura at Perth Zoo, Australia (juvenile bird - note the bill colour and prominent buff edges to the wing feathers).


Birds of the Southwest - ZooChat

 

Stresemannia
One species, which is not represented in the Zoochat galleries.

Formerly has been placed in the genus Melilestes.



Bougainville Honeyeater Stresemannia bougainvillei
Monotypic.


Endemic to the montane forests of Bougainville Island (in the northern Solomon Islands).


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Conopophila
Three species, one of which is represented in the Zoochat galleries.



Rufous-banded Honeyeater Conopophila albogularis
Monotypic.


Found mainly in New Guinea, in the south and east of the island, as well as the Aru Islands, and in Australia in the Northern Territory east to Cape York Peninsula.


Photo by @Hix in the wild, Boigu Island (which is very close to PNG but is politically part of Australia). There is no difference in appearance between the sexes in this species. The common name refers to the band across the breast.


Rufous-banded Honeyeater - ZooChat



Rufous-throated Honeyeater Conopophila rufogularis
Monotypic.


Found in northern Australia, from northeast Western Australia to southeast Queensland.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Grey Honeyeater Conopophila whitei
Monotypic.


Found in west-central Australia.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Ramsayornis
Two species, one of which is represented in the Zoochat galleries.



Bar-breasted Honeyeater Ramsayornis fasciatus
Monotypic.


Found from northeast Western Australia to southeast Queensland.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Brown-backed Honeyeater Ramsayornis modestus
Monotypic.


Found in coastal New Guinea south to Australia's Cape York Peninsula.


Both photos by @Hix in the wild, Australia. There is no difference in plumage between the sexes.


Brown-backed Honeyeater - ZooChat


Brown-backed Honeyeater - ZooChat

 

Melilestes
One species, which is not represented in the Zoochat galleries.

Formerly also included the Bougainville Honeyeater Stresemannia bougainvillei.



Long-billed Honeyeater Melilestes megarhynchus
Two subspecies: megarhynchus and vagans


Found throughout most of New Guinea and on many of the offshore islands, with megarhynchus on the islands of Salawati and Misool, on the Aru Islands, and across most of the main island; and vagans on the islands of Batanta, Waigeo, and Yapen, and in north-central New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Timeliopsis
Two species, neither of which are represented in the Zoochat galleries.



Olive Straightbill Timeliopsis fulvigula
Two subspecies: fulvigula and meyeri


Found in the montane forests of New Guinea, with fulvigula restricted to the Vogelkop Peninsula and meyeri right across to the eastern end of the island.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Tawny Straightbill Timeliopsis griseigula
Two subspecies: fulviventris and griseigula


Found across New Guinea, with fulviventris from south-central to the east of the island, and griseigula on the Vogelkop Peninsula and in northern New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Melipotes
Four species, one of which is represented in the Zoochat galleries.

All species are endemic to the montane forests of New Guinea. There is no difference in plumage between the sexes.



Spangled Honeyeater Melipotes ater
Monotypic.


Endemic to the montane forests of the Huon Peninsula in northeast New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Wattled Smoky Honeyeater Melipotes carolae
Monotypic.


Endemic to the Foja Mountains in western New Guinea. Discovered in 2005 and described in 2007.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Common Smoky Honeyeater Melipotes fumigatus
Three subspecies: fumigatus, goliath, kumawa


Found over much of montane New Guinea, with fumigatus in the southeast, goliath in central New Guinea, and kumawa on the Vogelkop Peninsula in the northwest.


Photo by @Hix of a wild-caught bird, Papua New Guinea (subspecies goliath).


Common Melipotes - ZooChat



Arfak Honeyeater Melipotes gymnops
Monotypic.


Endemic to the montane forests of the Vogelkop Peninsula in northwestern New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Macgregoria
One species, which is not represented in the Zoochat galleries.

An aberrant honeyeater which was formerly thought to be a bird of paradise, with the common name of MacGregor's Bird of Paradise. Other common names for the species are Ochre-winged Honeyeater and Giant Wattled Honeyeater.



MacGregor's Honeyeater Macgregoria pulchra
Two subspecies: carolinae and pulchra


Endemic to the montane forests of New Guinea, with carolinae in the west and central regions, and pulchra in the southeast.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.

 

Glycifohia
Two species, one of which is represented in the Zoochat galleries.

Both species were formerly included in the genus Phylidonyris. They are also sometimes placed instead in Gliciphila (which otherwise is monotypic).



Vanuatu Honeyeater Glycifohia notabilis
Two subspecies: notabilis and superciliaris

Also known as New Hebrides Honeyeater (this being the former name for Vanuatu), and White-bellied Honeyeater.


Endemic to Vanuatu, with notabilis in the northern Islands, and superciliaris in the northeast to central islands.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Barred Honeyeater Glycifohia undulata
Monotypic.


Endemic to New Caledonia.


Both photos by @Hix in the wild, New Caledonia. There is no difference in plumage between the sexes.


Barred Honeyeater - ZooChat


Barred Honeyeater - ZooChat

 

Gliciphila
One species, which is represented in the Zoochat galleries.

Formerly in the genus Phylidonyris. The two species in the genus Glycifohia are sometimes merged into Gliciphila.



Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Gliciphila melanops
Two subspecies: chelidonia and melanops


Found in the southeast of Australia, with chelidonia restricted to western Tasmania, and melanops found from southwestern South Australia to northeastern NSW, as well as on the Bass Strait Islands and in eastern Tasmania.


Both photos by @Hix in the wild, Australia (subspecies melanops). There is no difference in plumage between the sexes.


Tawny-crowned Honeyeater - ZooChat



Tawny-crowned Honeyeater - ZooChat

 

Pycnopygius
Three species, none of which are represented in the Zoochat galleries.



Marbled Honeyeater Pycnopygius cinereus
Two subspecies: cinereus and marmoratus


Found in the mountain forests of New Guinea, with cinereus on the Vogelkop Peninsula and in western New Guinea, and marmoratus from central to southeast New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Plain Honeyeater Pycnopygius ixoides
Four subspecies: finschi, ixoides, proximus, unicus


Found through most of New Guinea, with finschi in the southeast, ixoides on the Vogelkop Peninsula to south-central New Guinea, proximus in north-central New Guinea, and unicus in northeast New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.



Streak-headed Honeyeater Pycnopygius stictocephalus
Monotypic.


Found on the island of Salawati, on the Aru Islands, and on mainland New Guinea.


There are no photos of this species in the Zoochat galleries.