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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Meliphagidae
  4. ›
  5. Meliphaga
  6. ›
  7. Lewin's Honeyeater
Lewin's Honeyeater
Photo · (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Lewin's Honeyeater

Meliphaga lewinii(Swainson, 1837)

Updated 11 June 2026

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

At a glance

The Lewin's Honeyeater is a medium-sized bird, about 19–22 cm long, listed as Least Concern and endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
19–22 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 Lewin's Honeyeater look like?

The Lewin's Honeyeater is a medium-sized bird, about 19–22 cm long and weighing 25–50 g, identified by its large, crescent-shaped yellow ear-patches and plain, dark olive-green plumage.

Lewin's honeyeater is a bird that inhabits the ranges along the east coast of Australia. It has a semicircular ear-patch, pale yellow in colour.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. 01

    Large, crescent-shaped yellow ear-patches

    The most prominent and defining feature, a bright pale yellow half-moon behind and below the eye.

  2. 02

    Plain, dark olive-green plumage

    Uniform unstreaked deep olive-green body, slightly paler on underparts, contrasting with the bright ear-patches.

Field specs

Length
19–22 cm
Weight
25–49.5 g
Wingspan
26 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

Field tips

flight

  • Watch for a subtle lime-yellow flash along the edges of the wing and tail feathers as the bird moves through the canopy.

plumage

  • Note the distinctive blue-grey eyes of adults (brown in juveniles) and a prominent creamy-yellow fleshy gape at the base of the black bill.

size_and_shape

  • This is a robust and sturdy honeyeater with a notably thick, slightly down-curved black bill and a square-tipped tail.

voice

  • Listen for a loud, rapid-fire rattling call that resembles a staccato machine gun and carries over long distances.

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Lewin's Honeyeater?

The Lewin's 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

Jonathan Mills-Anderson · Brisbane QLD, Australia

0s

Call

Bronte-Maye · Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia

0s

Call

John Cull · The Basin VIC 3154, Australia

0s

Call

Greg Tasney · Image Flat QLD 4560, Australia

0s

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Lewin's Honeyeater eat?

The Lewin's Honeyeater feeds on fruit, nectar/pollen and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

The BirdUp app

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Lewin's Honeyeater live in Australia?

The Lewin's Honeyeater is endemic to Australia, recorded across 30 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning east Australia.

Breeding range
East Australia