Meliphaga lewinii

By Marj Webber

on the ranges down the east coast of Australia from Cooktown to the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria but will reside in wetter parts of lowland areas as well. Most birds are sedentary, but some will migrate from the ranges to the lowlands in winter.

LEWIN’S HONEYEATERS ARE COMMON TO BRIBIE ISLAND IN FOREST AREAS, PARKLANDS & GARDENS. There are 76 species of Honeyeaters in Australia. Lewin’s Honeyeaters are medium sized at 19-21 cm in length and weighing 27-49 g. They are energetic and noisy, with their loud call sounding much like the rattle of a machine gun. The backs are olive, and the underparts are olive grey. Wings and tails are brown with feathers edged in yellow. The yellow can be seen when the birds are in flight. Eyes are blue-grey and black bills are curved down. Their most noticeable features are the crescentshaped, yellow patches behind the eyes and the whitish-yellow gape lines. Both males and females are similar in appearance with the male being slightly larger. Two other Honeyeaters, the Yellow-spotted and the Graceful Honeyeaters are similar to Lewin’s in appearance but are smaller, and the yellow patches are different shapes. There is an area in the northern tropics in Queensland where the three species overlap but we would be very lucky to see the Yellow-spotted or the Graceful in our area. Lewin’s Honeyeaters prefer rainforests and wet eucalypt forests

Fruit and berries are their preferred diet, but insects and nectar are also on the menu. Like other Honeyeaters their tongues are brush-tipped, allowing them to obtain nectar from flowering plants. Sometimes they hover to snatch insects from the air or from foliage high up in the canopies. Some insects are collected after removing bark from tree trunks, and occasionally they find food foraging the ground.

Breeding takes place mainly between July and March. Nests 1-5 m above the ground are cup-shaped, made of bark and grass, lined with down, and held together with cobwebs. Nest sites are often chosen above or near water. Females alone build the nests and incubate the 2-3 red-spotted, white eggs. Incubation takes about 14 days and when the babies hatch, males pitch in with the feeding and nurturing for another 14 days before the young leave the nest.

The name was chosen to commemorate an Australian artist, John Lewin.

Babies and eggs are in danger from other birds such as Currawongs, Crows and Butcherbirds. Feral cats, snakes and reptiles are also real threats. Their population is stable, and conservation status is of the least concern for now.