September 19, 2023 – bushboys world

IJ’s Bird of the Week Invitation: Week XXX

Last post was about the Noisy Friarbird. I included one of my videos of a Noisy Friarbird trying to harass a nonchalant Blue-faced Honeyeater in a grevillea in my garden.

This week it’s the Blue-faced Honeyeaters turn to show off.
They are migratory and arrive at my place in August which is mid breeding season. Usually staying for most of Summer.
The Blue-faced Honeyeater is a large black, white and golden olive-green bird with striking blue skin around its eyes. The blue facial skin is two-toned, with the lower half a brilliant cobalt blue.

They feed on insects and invertebrates. The header photo shows a Blue-faced Honeyeater looking for insects under bark on a eucalypt. Also gathering nectar and pollen from grevilleas and bottlebrush flowers

Juvenile birds are similar to the adults but the facial skin is yellow-green and the bib is a lighter grey.

“The Blue-faced Honeyeater is found in northern and eastern mainland Australia, from the Kimberley region, Western Australia to near Adelaide, South Australia, being more common in the north of its range. It is not found in central southern New South Wales or eastern Victoria. This species is also found in Papua New Guinea.”

“The Blue-faced Honeyeater forms breeding pairs, and may sometimes be a cooperative breeder, where immature birds help the main breeding pair to feed nestlings. Most nests are made on the abandoned nests of Grey-crowned Babblers, Noisy, Silver-crowned and Little Friarbirds, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, Australian Magpie and Magpie-Lark.

Blue-faced Honeyeaters are quite noisy with varied calls. The first is the constant that I hear a lot. The second has a bit of their variety of sounds.