328:
82:
56:
1028:
384:
the reasons are yet to be discovered. Many follow the flowering of favourite food plants. Arid zone species appear to travel further and less predictably than those of the more fertile areas. It seems probable that no single explanation will emerge: the general rule for honeyeater movements is that there is no general rule.
383:
The movements of honeyeaters are poorly understood. Most are at least partially mobile but many movements seem to be local, possibly between favourite haunts as the conditions change. Fluctuations in local abundance are common, but the small number of definitely migratory honeyeater species aside,
343:
of
America, honeyeaters do not have extensive adaptations for hovering flight, though smaller members of the family do hover hummingbird-style to collect nectar from time to time. In general, honeyeaters prefer to flit quickly from perch to perch in the outer foliage, stretching up or sideways or
344:
hanging upside down at need. Many genera have a highly developed brush-tipped tongue, frayed and fringed with bristles which soak up liquids readily. The tongue is flicked rapidly and repeatedly into a flower, the upper mandible then compressing any liquid out when the bill is closed.
375:
specialist. Most, however, exist on a diet of nectar supplemented by varying quantities of insects. In general, the honeyeaters with long, fine bills are more nectarivorous, the shorter-billed species less so, but even specialised nectar eaters like the
367:, probe under bark for insects and other morsels. Many species supplement their diets with a little fruit, and a small number eat considerable amounts of fruit, particularly in tropical rainforests and, oddly, in semi-arid scrubland. The
792:
Driskell, A.C.; Christidis, L.; Gill, B.; Boles, W.E.; Barker, F.K.; Longmore, N.W. (2007). "A new endemic family of New
Zealand passerine birds: adding heat to a biodiversity hotspot".
515:
Andersen, M.J.; Naikatini, A.; Moyle, R.C. (2014). "A molecular phylogeny of
Pacific honeyeaters (Aves: Meliphagidae) reveals extensive paraphyly and an isolated Polynesian radiation".
974:
474:, both extinct genera endemic to the Hawaiian islands, argued that these five species were not members of the Meliphagidae and instead belong to their own distinct family, the
1195:
1321:
1234:
549:
Del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. and
Christie D. (editors). (2006). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions.
1169:
1208:
719:
554:
984:
776:
502:
1283:
339:
Honeyeaters can be either nectarivorous, insectivorous, frugivorous, or a combination of nectar- and insect-eating. Unlike the
282:
radiation. Although honeyeaters look and behave very much like other nectar-feeding passerines around the world (such as the
1213:
1221:
259:, roughly half of them native to Australia, many of the remainder occupying New Guinea. With their closest relatives, the
1018:
81:
1117:
1104:
452:
301:
is unknown, but probably substantial. A great many
Australian plants are fertilised by honeyeaters, particularly the
566:
420:(New Zealand stitchbird), formerly classified in the Meliphagidae, has recently been removed to the newly erected
1316:
1239:
433:
890:
873:
440:
360:
158:
966:
1044:
356:
1311:
1270:
1122:
347:
In addition to nectar, all or nearly all honeyeaters take insects and other small creatures, usually by
327:
750:
1288:
1249:
1143:
1091:
926:
672:
291:
1006:
915:"Convergent Evolution of Hawaiian and Australo-Pacific Honeyeaters from Distant Songbird Ancestors"
393:
252:
64:
895:
641:
462:
In 2008, a study that included molecular phylogenetic analysis of museum specimens in the genera
368:
76:
1275:
410:(Bonin honeyeater), formerly treated in the Meliphagidae, have recently been transferred to the
1082:
1257:
1130:
980:
944:
854:
772:
742:
700:
633:
550:
532:
498:
424:
of which it is the only member. The "Macgregor's bird-of-paradise", historically considered a
332:
1262:
1200:
934:
885:
844:
836:
801:
734:
690:
680:
623:
613:
570:
524:
425:
352:
298:
185:
55:
720:"Phylogeny and evolution of the Australo-Papuan honeyeaters (Passeriformes, Meliphagidae)"
348:
1000:
930:
676:
849:
820:
628:
601:
448:
695:
660:
1305:
1096:
874:"A new species of smoky honeyeater (Meliphagidae: Melipotes) from western New Guinea"
645:
429:
272:
143:
1109:
899:
1032:
464:
287:
271:(thornbills, Australian warblers, scrubwrens, etc.), they comprise the superfamily
268:
264:
245:
574:
1135:
1226:
1182:
1076:
738:
528:
421:
416:
406:
340:
225:
618:
939:
914:
400:
302:
221:
213:
205:
193:
1067:
821:"What is not a bird of paradise? Molecular and morphological evidence places
1156:
1010:
825:
in the
Meliphagidae and the Cnemophilinae near the base of the corvoid tree"
685:
659:
Barker, F.K.; Cibois, A.; Schikler, P.; Feinstein, J.; Cracraft, J. (2004).
456:
411:
377:
372:
315:
310:
306:
279:
260:
217:
201:
133:
93:
38:
948:
858:
840:
746:
704:
637:
536:
17:
335:
feeding. Honeyeaters typically hang from branches while feeding on nectar.
1061:
475:
364:
237:
209:
197:
113:
283:
31:
1187:
313:. It is known that the honeyeaters are important in New Zealand (see
276:
103:
1174:
1038:
805:
1161:
297:
The extent of the evolutionary partnership between honeyeaters and
290:), they are unrelated, and the similarities are the consequence of
470:
447:), described in 2007, had been discovered in December 2005 in the
326:
256:
233:
229:
972:. In Higgins, Peter J.; Peter, Jeffrey M.; Steele, W.K. (eds.).
872:
Beehler, B.; Prawiradilaga, D.; de Fretes, Y.; Kemp, N. (2007).
241:
123:
30:
For the
Southern Asian birds formerly known as honeyeaters, see
1042:
380:
take extra insects to add protein to their diet when breeding.
236:, and the islands to the north and west of New Guinea known as
661:"Phylogeny and diversification of the largest avian radiation"
432:), was recently found to be a honeyeater. It is now known as "
1148:
600:
Hay, Eleanor M.; McGee, Matthew D.; Chown, Steven L. (2022).
319:) as well, and assumed that the same applies in other areas.
891:
10.1642/0004-8038(2007)124[1000:ansosh]2.0.co;2
192:, of small to medium-sized birds. The family includes the
979:. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. pp. 457–461.
275:
and originated early in the evolutionary history of the
975:
Handbook of
Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds
967:"Family Meliphagidae honeyeaters and Australian chats"
1016:
913:
Fleischer, R. C.; James, H. F.; Olson, S. L. (2008).
602:"Geographic range size and speciation in honeyeaters"
37:
For the general consumption of honey by animals, see
1051:
767:Lindsey, Terence (1991). Forshaw, Joseph (ed.).
495:Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World.
8:
355:. A few of the larger species, notably the
1039:
718:Driskell, Amy C.; Christidis, Les (2004).
493:Sibley, C.G. and Monroe, B.L. Jr. (1990).
54:
45:
938:
889:
848:
694:
684:
627:
617:
436:" and is classified in the Meliphagidae.
771:. London: Merehurst Press. p. 208.
1023:
977:. Volume 5: Tyrant-flycatchers to Chats
486:
1322:Taxa named by Nicholas Aylward Vigors
727:Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
581:. International Ornithologists' Union
517:Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
228:, the Pacific islands as far east as
7:
1250:4a357bf1-3205-49ed-8444-b5c1c4decaee
819:Cracraft, J.; Feinstein, J. (2000).
497:New Haven: Yale University Press.
25:
1026:
1009:– Highlighting relationships of
579:IOC World Bird List Version 10.1
80:
1003:on the Internet Bird Collection
769:Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds
414:on genetic evidence. The genus
1:
794:Australian Journal of Zoology
299:Australasian flowering plants
1013:on Tree Of Life Web Project
739:10.1016/j.ympev.2003.10.017
529:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.014
244:, on the other side of the
1338:
665:Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
619:10.1186/s12862-022-02041-6
391:
263:(Australian fairy-wrens),
216:. They are most common in
36:
29:
940:10.1016/j.cub.2008.10.051
606:BMC Ecology and Evolution
171:
166:
77:Scientific classification
75:
69:Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus
62:
53:
48:
441:wattled smoky honeyeater
404:(golden honeyeater) and
388:Taxonomy and systematics
361:strong-billed honeyeater
248:, has a single species.
184:are a large and diverse
686:10.1073/pnas.0401892101
841:10.1098/rspb.2000.0992
434:MacGregor's honeyeater
357:white-eared honeyeater
336:
1271:Paleobiology Database
829:Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B
330:
292:convergent evolution
251:In total, there are
224:, and found also in
965:Ford, H.A. (2001).
931:2008CBio...18.1927F
677:2004PNAS..10111040B
671:(30): 11040–11045.
394:List of honeyeaters
65:crescent honeyeater
569:; Donsker, David;
369:painted honeyeater
337:
267:(pardalotes), and
1299:
1298:
1258:Open Tree of Life
1045:Taxon identifiers
1001:Honeyeater videos
925:(24): 1927–1931.
835:(1440): 233–241.
571:Rasmussen, Pamela
555:978-84-96553-42-2
445:Melipotes carolae
333:eastern spinebill
178:
177:
162:
16:(Redirected from
1329:
1317:Birds of Oceania
1292:
1291:
1279:
1278:
1266:
1265:
1253:
1252:
1243:
1242:
1230:
1229:
1227:NHMSYS0020959135
1217:
1216:
1204:
1203:
1191:
1190:
1178:
1177:
1165:
1164:
1152:
1151:
1139:
1138:
1126:
1125:
1113:
1112:
1100:
1099:
1087:
1086:
1085:
1072:
1071:
1070:
1040:
1031:
1030:
1029:
1022:
990:
971:
953:
952:
942:
910:
904:
903:
893:
884:(3): 1000–1009.
869:
863:
862:
852:
816:
810:
809:
789:
783:
782:
764:
758:
757:
755:
749:. Archived from
724:
715:
709:
708:
698:
688:
656:
650:
649:
631:
621:
597:
591:
590:
588:
586:
563:
557:
547:
541:
540:
512:
506:
491:
426:bird-of-paradise
194:Australian chats
157:
85:
84:
58:
46:
21:
1337:
1336:
1332:
1331:
1330:
1328:
1327:
1326:
1302:
1301:
1300:
1295:
1287:
1282:
1274:
1269:
1261:
1256:
1248:
1246:
1238:
1233:
1225:
1220:
1212:
1207:
1199:
1194:
1186:
1181:
1173:
1168:
1160:
1155:
1147:
1142:
1134:
1129:
1121:
1116:
1108:
1103:
1095:
1090:
1081:
1080:
1075:
1066:
1065:
1060:
1047:
1037:
1027:
1025:
1017:
997:
987:
969:
964:
961:
959:Further reading
956:
919:Current Biology
912:
911:
907:
871:
870:
866:
818:
817:
813:
806:10.1071/zo07007
791:
790:
786:
779:
766:
765:
761:
753:
722:
717:
716:
712:
658:
657:
653:
599:
598:
594:
584:
582:
573:, eds. (2020).
565:
564:
560:
548:
544:
514:
513:
509:
492:
488:
484:
396:
390:
351:, sometimes by
325:
156:
79:
42:
35:
28:
27:Family of birds
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1335:
1333:
1325:
1324:
1319:
1314:
1304:
1303:
1297:
1296:
1294:
1293:
1280:
1267:
1254:
1244:
1231:
1218:
1205:
1192:
1179:
1166:
1153:
1140:
1127:
1114:
1101:
1088:
1073:
1057:
1055:
1049:
1048:
1043:
1036:
1035:
1015:
1014:
1004:
996:
995:External links
993:
992:
991:
985:
960:
957:
955:
954:
905:
864:
811:
784:
777:
759:
756:on 1 May 2012.
733:(3): 943–960.
710:
651:
592:
558:
542:
507:
485:
483:
480:
449:Foja Mountains
389:
386:
324:
321:
176:
175:
169:
168:
164:
163:
151:
147:
146:
141:
137:
136:
131:
127:
126:
121:
117:
116:
111:
107:
106:
101:
97:
96:
91:
87:
86:
73:
72:
60:
59:
51:
50:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1334:
1323:
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1309:
1307:
1290:
1285:
1281:
1277:
1272:
1268:
1264:
1259:
1255:
1251:
1245:
1241:
1236:
1232:
1228:
1223:
1219:
1215:
1210:
1206:
1202:
1197:
1193:
1189:
1184:
1180:
1176:
1171:
1167:
1163:
1158:
1154:
1150:
1145:
1141:
1137:
1132:
1128:
1124:
1119:
1115:
1111:
1106:
1102:
1098:
1093:
1089:
1084:
1078:
1074:
1069:
1063:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1054:
1050:
1046:
1041:
1034:
1024:
1020:
1012:
1008:
1007:Meliphagoidea
1005:
1002:
999:
998:
994:
988:
986:0-19-553258-9
982:
978:
976:
968:
963:
962:
958:
950:
946:
941:
936:
932:
928:
924:
920:
916:
909:
906:
901:
897:
892:
887:
883:
879:
875:
868:
865:
860:
856:
851:
846:
842:
838:
834:
830:
826:
824:
815:
812:
807:
803:
799:
795:
788:
785:
780:
778:1-85391-186-0
774:
770:
763:
760:
752:
748:
744:
740:
736:
732:
728:
721:
714:
711:
706:
702:
697:
692:
687:
682:
678:
674:
670:
666:
662:
655:
652:
647:
643:
639:
635:
630:
625:
620:
615:
611:
607:
603:
596:
593:
580:
576:
575:"Honeyeaters"
572:
568:
562:
559:
556:
552:
546:
543:
538:
534:
530:
526:
522:
518:
511:
508:
504:
503:0-300-04969-2
500:
496:
490:
487:
481:
479:
477:
473:
472:
467:
466:
460:
458:
454:
450:
446:
442:
437:
435:
431:
430:Paradisaeidae
427:
423:
422:Notiomystidae
419:
418:
413:
409:
408:
403:
402:
395:
387:
385:
381:
379:
374:
370:
366:
362:
358:
354:
350:
345:
342:
334:
329:
322:
320:
318:
317:
312:
308:
304:
300:
295:
293:
289:
288:flowerpeckers
285:
281:
278:
274:
273:Meliphagoidea
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
249:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
174:
170:
165:
160:
155:
152:
149:
148:
145:
144:Meliphagoidea
142:
140:Superfamily:
139:
138:
135:
134:Passeriformes
132:
129:
128:
125:
122:
119:
118:
115:
112:
109:
108:
105:
102:
99:
98:
95:
92:
89:
88:
83:
78:
74:
70:
66:
61:
57:
52:
47:
44:
40:
33:
19:
1312:Meliphagidae
1110:Meliphagidae
1097:Meliphagidae
1083:Meliphagidae
1053:Meliphagidae
1052:
973:
922:
918:
908:
881:
877:
867:
832:
828:
822:
814:
797:
793:
787:
768:
762:
751:the original
730:
726:
713:
668:
664:
654:
609:
605:
595:
583:. Retrieved
578:
561:
545:
520:
516:
510:
494:
489:
469:
463:
461:
444:
438:
415:
412:Zosteropidae
405:
399:
397:
382:
346:
341:hummingbirds
338:
314:
296:
269:Acanthizidae
265:Pardalotidae
250:
246:Wallace Line
190:Meliphagidae
189:
181:
179:
172:
154:Meliphagidae
153:
68:
49:Honeyeaters
43:
1183:iNaturalist
1077:Wikispecies
823:Macgregoria
585:22 February
567:Gill, Frank
523:: 308–315.
471:Chaetoptila
417:Notiomystis
407:Apalopteron
398:The genera
323:Description
253:186 species
226:New Zealand
206:wattlebirds
182:honeyeaters
18:Honeyeaters
1306:Categories
800:(2): 1–6.
482:References
401:Cleptornis
392:See also:
378:spinebills
359:, and the
303:Proteaceae
222:New Guinea
214:melidectes
202:friarbirds
1011:Maluridae
646:250147316
612:(1): 86.
457:Indonesia
373:mistletoe
331:A female
316:Anthornis
311:Ericaceae
307:Myrtaceae
280:passerine
261:Maluridae
218:Australia
198:myzomelas
173:See text
100:Kingdom:
94:Eukaryota
39:Mellivory
1062:Wikidata
949:19084408
900:85753152
859:10714877
747:15120392
705:15263073
638:35768772
537:24315868
476:Mohoidae
365:Tasmania
353:gleaning
284:sunbirds
238:Wallacea
150:Family:
114:Chordata
110:Phylum:
104:Animalia
90:Domain:
1263:1092345
1068:Q211670
927:Bibcode
878:The Auk
850:1690532
673:Bibcode
629:9245323
349:hawking
167:Genera
130:Order:
120:Class:
63:Female
32:Sunbird
1289:225862
1276:143836
1247:NZOR:
1214:178808
1201:104296
1162:1MLPHF
1019:Portal
983:
947:
898:
857:
847:
775:
745:
703:
696:503738
693:
644:
636:
626:
553:
535:
501:
309:, and
277:oscine
257:genera
255:in 55
210:miners
186:family
161:, 1825
159:Vigors
1284:WoRMS
1196:IRMNG
1188:12160
1123:78662
1033:Birds
970:(PDF)
896:S2CID
754:(PDF)
723:(PDF)
642:S2CID
453:Papua
371:is a
234:Tonga
230:Samoa
1240:9146
1235:NCBI
1209:ITIS
1175:9319
1170:GBIF
1157:EPPO
1149:7537
1118:BOLD
981:ISBN
945:PMID
855:PMID
773:ISBN
743:PMID
701:PMID
634:PMID
587:2020
551:ISBN
533:PMID
499:ISBN
468:and
465:Moho
439:The
286:and
242:Bali
232:and
220:and
212:and
180:The
124:Aves
1222:NBN
1144:EoL
1136:CKJ
1131:CoL
1105:AFD
1092:ADW
935:doi
886:doi
882:124
845:PMC
837:doi
833:267
802:doi
735:doi
691:PMC
681:doi
669:101
624:PMC
614:doi
525:doi
451:of
363:of
1308::
1286::
1273::
1260::
1237::
1224::
1211::
1198::
1185::
1172::
1159::
1146::
1133::
1120::
1107::
1094::
1079::
1064::
943:.
933:.
923:18
921:.
917:.
894:.
880:.
876:.
853:.
843:.
831:.
827:.
798:55
796:.
741:.
731:31
729:.
725:.
699:.
689:.
679:.
667:.
663:.
640:.
632:.
622:.
610:22
608:.
604:.
577:.
531:.
521:71
519:.
478:.
459:.
455:,
305:,
294:.
240:.
208:,
204:,
200:,
196:,
188:,
71:)
1021::
989:.
951:.
937::
929::
902:.
888::
861:.
839::
808:.
804::
781:.
737::
707:.
683::
675::
648:.
616::
589:.
539:.
527::
505:.
443:(
428:(
67:(
41:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.