Rufous-backed Honeyeater
Ptiloprora guisei
Rufous-backed Honeyeater (Ptiloprora guisei) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
The Rufous-backed Honeyeater (Ptiloprora guisei) is a member of the Meliphagidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 25.8 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 Ptiloprora
- Species guisei
Where it lives
Montane eastern, northeastern (Adelbert Range and Huon Pen.) and southeastern New Guinea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-backed 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 Rufous-backed Honeyeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-backed Honeyeater (Ptiloprora guisei) belongs to the Meliphagidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane e, ne (Adelbert Range and Huon Pen.) and se New Guinea.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.8 g, with a wing length of about 8.8 cm and a tail of around 7.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 62,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-backed Honeyeater?
The Rufous-backed Honeyeater is a small bird that weighs around 25.8 g.
Where does the Rufous-backed Honeyeater live?
The Rufous-backed Honeyeater is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane e, ne (Adelbert Range and Huon Pen.) and se New Guinea, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous-backed Honeyeater belong to?
The Rufous-backed Honeyeater (Ptiloprora guisei) belongs to the Meliphagidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous-backed Honeyeater eat?
The Rufous-backed Honeyeater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous-backed Honeyeater migrate?
The Rufous-backed Honeyeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-backed 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 Rufous-backed Honeyeater make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-backed 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 Rufous-backed Honeyeater's range?
The Rufous-backed Honeyeater has a mapped global range of about 62,000 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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