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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Meliphagidae
  4. ›
  5. Nesoptilotis
  6. ›
  7. White-eared Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater
Photo · no rights reserved

BirdUp · Species

White-eared Honeyeater

Nesoptilotis leucotis(Latham, 1801)

Updated 11 June 2026

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

At a glance

The White-eared Honeyeater is a small bird, about 17–22 cm long, listed as Least Concern and endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
17–22 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 White-eared Honeyeater look like?

The White-eared Honeyeater is a small bird, about 17–22 cm long and weighing 15–35 g.

The white-eared honeyeater is a medium-sized honeyeater found in Australia. It is a member of the family Meliphagidae which has 190 recognised species with about half of them found in Australia. This makes them members of the most diverse family of birds in Australia. White-eared honeyeaters are easily identifiable by their olive-green body, black head and white ear-patch.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
17–22 cm
Weight
15–35 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a White-eared Honeyeater?

The White-eared 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

Tim · Warrumbungle NSW 2828, Australia

Call

Thomas Mesaglio · Heath Trail, Garigal NP, New South Wales

Call

Quentin Groom · Namadgi, Remainder of ACT, AU-CT, AU

Call

JL · Ingleside, NSW, AU

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a White-eared Honeyeater eat?

The White-eared Honeyeater feeds on fruit, nectar/pollen and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

5 photos

The BirdUp app

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the White-eared Honeyeater live in Australia?

The White-eared Honeyeater is endemic to Australia, recorded across 45 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning south-west, south and east Australia.

BreedingSouth-west, south and east Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Vagrant

8 regions recorded