White-throated Honeyeater

1. Black cap and white nape crescent set off a clean white throat and underparts

2. Bare white or bluish-white skin over the eye (not prominent in juveniles)

3. Juveniles are browner above with yellow-orange bill bases

White-throated Honeyeaters are agile and acrobatic foragers, feeding on nectar, insects, and other small invertebrates. They use their brush-tipped tongues to extract nectar and often hang upside down to reach food. Breeding occurs mainly from July or August to December, but can happen at other times given the right conditions. Nests are cup-shaped and suspended in tree forks, constructed from bark fibers, grass stems, and spider webs, typically 5–15 meters above ground. Both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties. The species is not migratory but may move locally to follow flowering events.

White-throated Honeyeaters inhabit eucalypt forests, woodlands, heathlands, and occasionally coastal shrublands across northern and eastern Australia, including Cape York, the Top End, and down the east coast into New South Wales and Victoria. They are also found in southern New Guinea. They prefer areas near water, such as riparian zones, and are often seen foraging in the outer foliage and flowers of tree canopies, especially in eucalypts and paperbarks. They are most active and vocal at dawn, moving in pairs or small flocks, and may join mixed-species feeding groups.