bird database

Lichenostomus chrysops

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

A medium to small, plainly coloured honeyeater with a slightly down-curved bill. It is dark grey-brown above, and paler below with lighter streaks. It has a distinctive, broad yellow face stripe, bordered with black. The males are slightly larger but the sexes are otherwise similar. Young are paler with a brown iris, which will become blue when it is an adult. It can be seen in large flocks when migrating, and in smaller groups when feeding. It feeds on nectar, pollen, fruit, seeds, insects and their products. They tend to forage in the flowers and foliage of trees and shrubs, as well as mistletoe, and are rarely seen on the ground.

640

Seasonal

Acanthiza chrysorrhoa

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

The largest and probably the best-known thornbill, with a striking yellow rump. It is mainly grey-olive to grey-brown above to cream below, with a white-spotted black crown and a dark eye stripe. The tail is black, with white tips. The sexes are similar. Young birds have softer, fluffier plumage on the body, but are otherwise similar. Often seen in small flocks feeding on the ground, often with other thornbills and ground-feeding birds. feeds mainly on insects but may sometimes eat seeds. It is primarily a ground-feeding bird, more so than most other thornbills, but stays near tree cover and will sometimes feed in shrubs or trees.

639

Common