Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Macleay’s Honeyeater
Xanthotis macleayanus
Macleay's Honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayanus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Macleay’s Honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayanus) is a member of the Meliphagidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 31 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 Xanthotis
- Species macleayanus
Where it lives
Southeastern Cape York Pen., northeastern QLD (northeastern Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 31 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Macleay’s Honeyeater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Macleay’s Honeyeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Macleay’s Honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayanus) is a member of the Meliphagidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU se Cape York Pen., ne QLD (ne Australia).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 31 g, with a wing length of about 8.7 cm and a tail of around 7 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 27,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Macleay’s Honeyeater?
The Macleay’s Honeyeater is a small bird that weighs around 31 g.
Where does the Macleay’s Honeyeater live?
The Macleay’s Honeyeater is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU se Cape York Pen., ne QLD (ne Australia), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Macleay’s Honeyeater belong to?
The Macleay’s Honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayanus) belongs to the Meliphagidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Macleay’s Honeyeater eat?
The Macleay’s Honeyeater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Macleay’s Honeyeater migrate?
The Macleay’s Honeyeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Macleay’s 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 Macleay’s Honeyeater make?
1 real field recording of the Macleay’s Honeyeater — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Macleay’s Honeyeater's range?
The Macleay’s Honeyeater has a mapped global range of about 27,000 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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