Painted Honeyeater

1. Pink, gently curved bill and red eye.

2. Black upperparts, white underparts, yellow-edged wings and tail.

3. Loud, repeated “sue-see” call.

This species is a specialist feeder on mistletoe fruits, but also takes nectar and insects, especially when feeding young. Painted Honeyeaters are migratory or nomadic, moving in response to mistletoe fruiting. Breeding occurs mainly from October to March, with pairs building flimsy cup-shaped nests from plant fibres and spider webs, usually in the outer foliage of trees. Both parents share nesting duties. The species often returns to the same nesting sites in successive years.

Painted Honeyeaters are found in dry, open forests and woodlands across inland eastern Australia, from south-eastern Australia to north-western Queensland and parts of the Northern Territory. They are most common in areas with mature trees hosting abundant mistletoe, such as box-ironbark, yellow gum, and acacia woodlands. They often forage high in the canopy and are easiest to spot during the breeding season, when their calls are frequent.