The tawny-breasted honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Region
New Guinea and northern Australia
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) and reaches northern Australia, especially the Cape York Peninsula. It inhabits tropical lowland and hill rainforests, swamp forests, and mangrove margins. The species also uses forest edges, secondary growth, and riverine corridors where flowering trees are abundant. It adapts to a mosaic of habitats as long as nectar and insects are available.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A versatile honeyeater of New Guinea and far northern Australia, it forages from mangroves to rainforest edges. By visiting blossoms of eucalypts, melaleucas, and other native plants, it acts as an important pollinator. It often joins mixed-species flocks and can be quite vocal around flowering trees.
Temperament
active and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches
Social Behavior
Often seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups, and frequently joins mixed-species foraging parties. Pairs defend rich flowering resources but are otherwise loosely territorial. The nest is a small suspended cup placed in shrubs or low trees, and both parents typically help rear the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives clear, piping notes interspersed with chattering phrases. Calls can be nasal and scolding near feeding sites, with short repeated sequences that carry through the canopy.
