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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Meliphagidae
  4. ›
  5. Entomyzon
  6. ›
  7. Blue-faced Honeyeater

BirdUp · Species

Blue-faced Honeyeater

Entomyzon cyanotis(Latham, 1801)

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Native
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Meliphagidae
Genus
Entomyzon

At a glance

The Blue-faced Honeyeater is a medium-sized bird, about 26–32 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
26–32 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Blue-faced Honeyeater look like?

The Blue-faced Honeyeater is a medium-sized bird, about 26–32 cm long and weighing 80–135 g.

The blue-faced honeyeater, also colloquially known as the bananabird, is a passerine bird of the honeyeater family, Meliphagidae. It is the only member of its genus, and it is most closely related to honeyeaters of the genus Melithreptus. Three subspecies are recognised. At around 29.5 cm (11.6 in) in length, the blue-faced species is large for a honeyeater. Its plumage is distinctive, with olive upperparts, white underparts, and a black head and throat with white nape and cheeks. Males and females are similar in external appearance. Adults have a blue area of bare skin on each side of the face readily distinguishing them from juveniles, which have yellow or green patches of bare skin.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
26–32 cm
Weight
80–135 g
Wingspan
44 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Blue-faced Honeyeater?

The Blue-faced Honeyeater is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

Steve Fitzgerald · Queensland, AU

Call

Barb · Sinnamon Park QLD, Australia

Call

jimchurches · Balranald NSW 2715, Australia

Call

Steve Fitzgerald · Queensland, AU

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Blue-faced Honeyeater eat?

The Blue-faced Honeyeater feeds on fruit, nectar/pollen and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or flocks.

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Blue-faced Honeyeater live in Australia?

The Blue-faced Honeyeater is native to Australia, recorded across 50 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingSouth-central New Guinea and north and east Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident

7 regions recorded