Photo: Aviceda / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Helmeted Friarbird
Philemon buceroides
Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) is a member of the Meliphagidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 109 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Meliphagidae Honeyeaters
- Genus Philemon
- Species buceroides
Quick facts
- Weight
- 109 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Helmeted Friarbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Helmeted Friarbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) belongs to the Meliphagidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU w Lesser Sundas to n, ne Australia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 109 g, with a wing length of about 14.8 cm and a tail of around 12.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Helmeted Friarbird?
The Helmeted Friarbird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 109 g.
Where does the Helmeted Friarbird live?
The Helmeted Friarbird is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU w Lesser Sundas to n, ne Australia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Helmeted Friarbird belong to?
The Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) belongs to the Meliphagidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Helmeted Friarbird eat?
The Helmeted Friarbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Helmeted Friarbird migrate?
The Helmeted Friarbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Helmeted Friarbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Helmeted Friarbird make?
1 real field recording of the Helmeted Friarbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Helmeted Friarbird's range?
The Helmeted Friarbird has a mapped global range of about 1.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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