Yellow-faced Honeyeater

1. Bright yellow facial stripe bordered by black, running below the eye

2. Dusky blue eyes and subtle olive wing panel

3. Noisy “chip chip” or “chick-up” calls, often heard before the bird is seen

Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have a broad diet, feeding on nectar, pollen, fruit, seeds, insects, lerps, and honeydew. They forage actively among the flowers and foliage of trees and shrubs, sometimes catching insects in flight. The breeding season runs from July to March, with females building delicate, cup-shaped nests from grass, bark, and spider webs, usually in the understory or shrubs. Two to three eggs are laid per clutch, and both parents feed the young. Nests are sometimes parasitized by cuckoos. While still common, these honeyeaters are affected by habitat fragmentation and predation, but their adaptability has allowed them to thrive in modified environments.

Yellow-faced Honeyeaters are widespread along Australia’s eastern seaboard, from northeast Queensland through Victoria and into southeastern South Australia. They inhabit open eucalypt forests, woodlands, coastal heathlands, and are increasingly common in urban parks and gardens. During autumn (March–May), huge flocks migrate northwards, often passing over ridges and elevated areas in spectacular numbers. In spring, they return south to breed. These birds are most often seen foraging in the foliage and flowers of trees and shrubs, rarely venturing to the ground.