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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Machaerirhynchidae
  4. ›
  5. Machaerirhynchus
  6. ›
  7. Yellow-breasted Boatbill
Yellow-breasted Boatbill
Photo · (c) Andrew Allen, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Yellow-breasted Boatbill

Machaerirhynchus flaviventerGould, 1851

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Native
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Machaerirhynchidae
Genus
Machaerirhynchus

At a glance

The Yellow-breasted Boatbill is a tiny bird, about 11–13 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
11–13 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Yellow-breasted Boatbill look like?

The Yellow-breasted Boatbill is a tiny bird, about 11–13 cm long and weighing 9–12 g.

The yellow-breasted boatbill is a species of bird found in New Guinea and Far North Queensland, Australia. The yellow-breasted boatbill is a species of bird belonging to the Machaerirhynchidae family, of the genus Machaerirhynchus. The yellow-breasted boatbill is a common avian animal, and it is well known within communities of ornithologists. Its natural habitat is primarily that of subtropical or tropical regions, particularly moist forests; the yellow-breasted boatbill has no preference for altitude within its environment and can be found abundantly in its natural habitat.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
11–13 cm
Weight
8.6–12 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Yellow-breasted Boatbill?

The Yellow-breasted Boatbill 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 · Julatten QLD 4871, Australia

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Yellow-breasted Boatbill eat?

The Yellow-breasted Boatbill feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Yellow-breasted Boatbill live in Australia?

The Yellow-breasted Boatbill is native to Australia, recorded across 4 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingLowland New Guinea and north-east Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Vagrant
  • Resident

4 regions recorded