Yellow-plumed Honeyeater

1. Long, bright yellow neck plumes forming pointed tufts

2. Breeding adults have entirely black bills; non-breeding adults and juveniles show yellow-orange at the bill base

3. Juveniles are paler and browner, with less distinct plumes and minimal breast streaking

Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters feed mainly on insects, which they glean from bark and foliage or catch in flight, but they also take nectar from a variety of eucalypts and mistletoes, and occasionally fruit. Their breeding season peaks from October to December but can extend across much of the year depending on conditions. Nests are open, cup-shaped, and suspended from thin forks or foliage.

Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters are found throughout the drier regions of southern mainland Australia, from southwestern Western Australia through South Australia to central New South Wales and Victoria. Their primary habitat is mallee eucalypt woodland, but they also occupy dry eucalypt forests, open forests, and occasionally Acacia or Callitris woodlands. In the west, they use a broader range of habitats, including wandoo and tuart forests. These birds are most often seen foraging in the outer and upper foliage of eucalypts, especially in flowering trees. They are noisy and conspicuous, often moving in groups and defending feeding or nesting territories communally