Grey-eared Honeyeater
A species of Brown Honeyeaters and Allies Scientific name : Lichmera incana Genus : Brown Honeyeaters and Allies
Grey-eared Honeyeater, A species of Brown Honeyeaters and Allies
Botanical name: Lichmera incana
Genus: Brown Honeyeaters and Allies
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Lars Petersson
Description
The grey-eared honeyeater is 13 to 17 cm long with the males being larger than the females. The plumage is mainly dull green-brown above and grey with an olive tint below. The cheeks are silvery-grey, and the crown is dark grey. The black bill is long and slightly downcurved; the legs and feet are blue-grey. Juveniles are paler than the adults without the silvery cheeks. They are noisy birds which begin calling before dawn. They have a harsh tchoo-tchoo-tchoo call and a warbling song.
Size
17 cm
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Grey-eared Honeyeater primarily consume nectar and pollen from flowers, supplementing their diet with insects and spiders. They forage by moving through shrub layers to canopies and exhibit behaviors such as hovering and aerial sallies to catch prey.
Habitat
The grey-eared Honeyeater inhabits a diverse range of environments, notably avoiding only humid forests and open fields. They are prevalent in both primary and secondary forests, as well as forest edges. Grey-eared Honeyeater are also found in mangroves, scrublands, and both rural and urban gardens. They thrive in agricultural landscapes, especially coconut plantations, and the distinctive niaouli (Melaleuca leucadendra) savanna woodlands.
Dite type
Nectivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Distribution Area
It is a common bird across most of its range and occurs in the lowlands and low hills in a variety of habitats, including forest, scrub, mangroves, and gardens. There are five subspecies; the nominate subspecies L. i. incana is found on Grande Terre, the main island of New Caledonia. L. i. poliotis and L. i. mareensis are found on the Loyalty Islands to the north-east of New Caledonia. L. i. flavotincta and L. i. griseoviridis occur in Vanuatu.
Photo By Lars Petersson