Strong-billed honeyeater
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Melithreptus validirostris

The strong-billed honeyeater (Melithreptus validirostris ) is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae.It is one of two species of the genus Melithreptus endemic to Tasmania.Its natural habitat is temperate forest.

Appearance

A mid-sized honeyeater at 16.5–17.5 cm (6.5–7 in) in length, it is olive-brown above and pale grey-brown below, with a black head, nape and throat, a pale blue to off-white patch over the eye, and a white crescent on the nape. Juveniles have brownish crowns, lemon-tinged nape, and an orange base of bill. Its call is a loud cheep cheep, or a churring.

Geography

Countries
Biogeographical realms

Habits and Lifestyle

The strong-billed honeyeater is found in mature forest with large trees, such as Eucalyptus regnans and E. delegatensis. Its diet is principally insects and various other invertebrates, which it hunts on tree trunks, supplemented by nectar and fallen fruit. Although both species are widespread in Tasmania, the Strong-billed rarely overlaps in site and foraging with the black-headed honeyeater.

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Mating Habits

Strong-billed honeyeaters may nest from September to January, breeding once or twice during this time. The nest is a thick-walled bowl of grasses and bits of bark in the fork of a tall tree, usually a eucalypt. Two or three eggs are laid, 22 x 17 mm in size, and shiny, buff-pink, sparsely spotted with red-brown.

References

1. Strong-billed honeyeater Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong-billed_honeyeater
2. Strong-billed honeyeater on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22704148/118653796
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/673997

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