Brown-backed Honeyeater
NameBrown-backed Honeyeater
Common NameBrown-backed Honeyeater
Scientific NameRamsayornis modestus
FamilyMeliphagidae
Wingspan (cm)20
Length (cm)12
Weight (g)10
Plumage DetailsPlain brown on the crown, back, and wings, contrasting with whitish underparts that may show faint streaking. It has a subtle pale supercilium and a dark, slender bill with a paler base to the lower mandible. Legs are reddish-brown.
Vocalization / CallIts vocalizations include high-pitched, thin, reedy 'tseep' or 'swee-swee' calls, often given rapidly, and a soft, chattering song.
Primary Dietomnivore
Primary Habitatsforest, wetland, coastal
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound in northern Australia, from the Kimberley region of Western Australia across the Top End of the Northern Territory to Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, and also in southern New Guinea.
Identifying FeaturesSmall size, Plain brown upperparts, Whitish underparts, Slender, slightly downcurved bill, Pale supercilium, Reddish-brown legs
Description
A small, plain honeyeater characterized by its brown upperparts and whitish underparts. It possesses a slender, slightly downcurved bill, which it uses to feed on nectar and insects in its preferred mangrove and coastal forest habitats.
