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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Meliphagidae
  4. ›
  5. Ramsayornis
  6. ›
  7. Brown-backed Honeyeater
Brown-backed Honeyeater
Photo · G.R. Gray, 1858

BirdUp · Species

Brown-backed Honeyeater

Ramsayornis modestus(Gray, GR, 1858)

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Native
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Meliphagidae
Genus
Ramsayornis

At a glance

The Brown-backed Honeyeater is a tiny bird, about 12–13 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
12–13 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Brown-backed Honeyeater look like?

The Brown-backed Honeyeater is a tiny bird, about 12–13 cm long and weighing 9–14 g.

The brown-backed honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is found in New Guinea and Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
12–13 cm
Weight
8.5–14 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Brown-backed Honeyeater?

The Brown-backed 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

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Brown-backed Honeyeater eat?

The Brown-backed Honeyeater feeds on nectar/pollen and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or flocks or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

4 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Brown-backed Honeyeater live in Australia?

The Brown-backed Honeyeater is native to Australia, recorded across 10 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingPatchily on New Guinea coast and satellites, and Cape York Pen., north-east QLD (north-east Australia)

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Non-breeding
  • Vagrant
  • Resident
  • Breeding

5 regions recorded