Photo: Aviceda / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown Honeyeater
Lichmera indistincta
Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta) is a member of the Meliphagidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 11.2 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 Lichmera
- Species indistincta
Where it lives
Bali, Lesser Sundas, Aru Is., south-central New Guinea and western, northern, central, eastern Australia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.2 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown Honeyeater is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Brown Honeyeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta) belongs to the Meliphagidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Bali, Lesser Sundas, Aru Is., sc New Guinea and w, n, c, e Australia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.2 g, with a wing length of about 6.6 cm and a tail of around 5 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 5.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown Honeyeater?
The Brown Honeyeater is a very small bird that weighs around 11.2 g.
Where does the Brown Honeyeater live?
The Brown Honeyeater is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Bali, Lesser Sundas, Aru Is., sc New Guinea and w, n, c, e Australia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Brown Honeyeater belong to?
The Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta) belongs to the Meliphagidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown Honeyeater eat?
The Brown Honeyeater is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Brown Honeyeater migrate?
The Brown Honeyeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown Honeyeater 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 Brown Honeyeater make?
1 real field recording of the Brown Honeyeater — 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 Brown Honeyeater's range?
The Brown Honeyeater has a mapped global range of about 5.4 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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