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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Meliphagidae
  4. ›
  5. Melithreptus
  6. ›
  7. White-naped Honeyeater
White-naped Honeyeater
Photo · (c) Terra Occ, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

White-naped Honeyeater

Melithreptus lunatus(Vieillot, 1802)

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Meliphagidae
Genus
Melithreptus

At a glance

The White-naped Honeyeater is a tiny bird, about 11–16 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
11–16 cm
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-naped Honeyeater look like?

The White-naped Honeyeater is a tiny bird, about 11–16 cm long and weighing 11–25 g.

The white-naped honeyeater is a passerine bird of the honeyeater family Meliphagidae native to eastern Australia. Birds from southwestern Australia have been shown to be a distinct species, Gilbert's honeyeater, and the eastern birds are more closely related to the black-headed honeyeater of Tasmania. One of several similar species of black-headed honeyeaters in the genus Melithreptus, it dwells in dry sclerophyll eucalypt woodland. Its diet consists of nectar from various flowers, and it also feeds on insects.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
11–16 cm
Weight
11–25 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a White-naped Honeyeater?

The White-naped 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

graeme lunt · Bannockburn VIC 3331, Australia

Call

jimchurches · Constitution Ave, Parkes, ACT, AU

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a White-naped Honeyeater eat?

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

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the White-naped Honeyeater live in Australia?

The White-naped Honeyeater is endemic to Australia, recorded across 40 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingEast-central QLD to south-east SA (east and south-east Australia)

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Breeding
  • Vagrant

8 regions recorded