The Guadalcanal honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is monotypic within the genus Guadalcanaria. It is endemic to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, where it is found high in montane forest. It was first described in 1929 by Ernst Hartert from specimens collected by Rollo Beck and his wife in 1927.
Region
Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal)
Typical Environment
Confined to montane and cloud forests on Guadalcanal, typically in mossy, epiphyte-rich habitats. It uses mid- to upper-canopy layers, foraging along forest edges, ridgelines, and mature interior forest. The species favors areas with abundant flowering trees and shrubs, including Metrosideros and other nectar sources. It is generally absent from lowlands and heavily disturbed habitats but may occur in lightly degraded montane forest.
Altitude Range
900–2300 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This honeyeater is the sole member of its genus, highlighting its unique evolution on a single island. It is restricted to high montane forests on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands and is adapted to cool, mossy cloud-forest conditions. Like other honeyeaters, it has a brush-tipped tongue for taking nectar but also eats insects and small fruits. Its conservation depends on the health of intact high-elevation forests.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile, direct flights between perches
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, defending feeding territories around flowering trees. Occasionally joins mixed-species flocks in the canopy. Nests are likely cup-shaped and placed in dense foliage; both parents are presumed to feed the young, as in many honeyeaters.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are thin, ringing whistles interspersed with soft chatters. The song consists of short phrases repeated from a high perch, most active at dawn.
Plumage
Mostly dark olive to olive-brown with subtle paler streaking on the throat and breast; wings and tail slightly darker with a muted olive wash.
Diet
Takes nectar from flowers using a brush-tipped tongue, especially from canopy blossoms and epiphytes. Supplements nectar with small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark. Also consumes small fruits when available, providing a mixed diet suited to montane forests.
Preferred Environment
Feeds mainly in the mid to upper canopy of mossy cloud forest and along forest edges and ridges. Often forages around flowering trees and in epiphyte-laden branches where nectar and arthropods are concentrated.
