Silver-crowned Friarbird

1. Angular black facial skin extends behind the eye.

2. Silvery-white crown and forehead contrast with grey-brown body.

3. Long, black bill with a small casque at the base.

Silver-crowned Friarbirds primarily feed on nectar from flowering trees, especially eucalypts, but also eat insects, spiders, and fruit. They are social, often joining mixed flocks with other honeyeaters and lorikeets, and can be aggressive when defending feeding areas. Breeding occurs from September to March. Females build deep, suspended nests high in trees, using bark and spider webs. Only the female incubates the eggs.

This species is found across the tropical north of Australia, including the Top End of the Northern Territory, the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. Look for them in eucalypt forests, woodlands, paperbark wetlands, and along rivers. They are often seen in flowering trees, sometimes in groups, and are most active and vocal at dawn.