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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Meliphagidae
  4. ›
  5. Melithreptus
  6. ›
  7. Brown-headed Honeyeater
Brown-headed Honeyeater
Photo · (c) pimelea, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Brown-headed Honeyeater

Melithreptus brevirostris(Vigors & Horsfield, 1827)

Updated 11 June 2026

Conservation status: Least ConcernOrigin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Meliphagidae
Genus
Melithreptus

At a glance

The Brown-headed Honeyeater is a tiny bird, about 12–14 cm long, listed as Least Concern and endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
12–14 cm
Conservation status
Least Concern
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Brown-headed Honeyeater look like?

The Brown-headed Honeyeater is a tiny bird, about 12–14 cm long and weighing 11–21 g.

The brown-headed honeyeater is a species of passerine bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
12–14 cm
Weight
10.5–20.5 g
Wingspan
18 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Brown-headed Honeyeater?

The Brown-headed 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

jimchurches · Stirling Range National Park WA 6338, Australia

Call

J N. · West Wimmera, AU-VI, AU

Call

jimchurches · Stirling Range National Park WA 6338, Australia

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Brown-headed Honeyeater eat?

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

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

The BirdUp app

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Brown-headed Honeyeater live in Australia?

The Brown-headed Honeyeater is endemic to Australia, recorded across 50 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning south-west, south and east-central Australia.

BreedingSouth-west, south and east-central Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Non-breeding

8 regions recorded