Spangled Honeyeater
Melipotes ater
Spangled Honeyeater (Melipotes ater) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
The Spangled Honeyeater (Melipotes ater) is a member of the Meliphagidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 114 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 Melipotes
- Species ater
Quick facts
- Weight
- 114 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spangled Honeyeater is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Spangled Honeyeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Spangled Honeyeater (Melipotes ater) belongs to the Meliphagidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane Huon Pen. (ne New Guinea).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 114 g, with a wing length of about 15.5 cm and a tail of around 14.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5,540 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spangled Honeyeater?
The Spangled Honeyeater is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 114 g.
Where does the Spangled Honeyeater live?
The Spangled Honeyeater is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane Huon Pen. (ne New Guinea), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Spangled Honeyeater belong to?
The Spangled Honeyeater (Melipotes ater) belongs to the Meliphagidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Spangled Honeyeater eat?
The Spangled Honeyeater is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Spangled Honeyeater migrate?
The Spangled Honeyeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Spangled 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 Spangled Honeyeater make?
1 real field recording of the Spangled 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 Spangled Honeyeater's range?
The Spangled Honeyeater has a mapped global range of about 5,540 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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