Macleay's honeyeater

We see the Macleays honeyeater almost daily. They're moderately robust for blossom bothering birds. And, for the most part, seem fairly self-assured as they rock around the joint.

Interestingly though, the smaller - flightier birds do seem to bully them a little, especially the Dusky honeyeaters.

Macleay's honeyeater
(Xanthotis macleayanus)


Honeyeater highlighted by the sun
Peek a Boo!


Honeyeater displaying its plumage
Chevron plumage and blue legs


The middle photo was a bit of a laugh to take - the bird was dipping in and out of the shadows in such a way, that after a while, I began to think we were playing a cheeky game of hide and shoot. And who can say? - perhaps we were.

The beautiful plumage isn't just for decoration. When they're ensconced in the foliage, they are extremely well camouflaged, so getting shots like this is a bit of a treat. And I think we're privileged to have them share our space.

Endemic to North Queensland (Paluma range to Cooktown)


Although this species may have a restricted range, it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion - it is rated as being of least concern. IUCN Redlist

So that's good news eh?

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