Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater

1. Elongated white “spiny” cheek stripe bordered by a pink bare patch under the eye

2. Cinnamon to pinkish-buff throat and boldly streaked creamy underparts

3. Long pale pink bill with a dark tip and blackish tail with white tips

These honeyeaters are omnivorous, feeding on nectar, fruit (especially mistletoe), insects, and occasionally small reptiles or eggs. They play a vital role in pollination and seed dispersal. Breeding occurs mainly from August to November, but nests can be found year-round. Nests are deep, cup-shaped structures suspended between branches, woven from grass, spider silk, and lined with soft materials. Both parents feed the young. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters are often seen in noisy flocks, especially when food is abundant, and are known for their loud, smooth calls.

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters are widespread throughout inland and southern Australia, absent only from the far north, Tasmania, the far southwest, and the far southeast coast. They thrive in open woodlands, acacia shrublands, mallee, and areas with emu-bush understory, and are also found in coastal scrub, mangroves, and even orchards and parks. They are nomadic in the north, moving in response to flowering and fruiting events, but more resident in the south.