Singing honeyeater: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Species of bird}}

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Gavicalis virescens'' |volume=2016 |page=e.T22704061A93950664 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22704061A93950664.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>

| genus = Gavicalis

| species = virescens

| synonyms = ''Lichenostomus virescens''

}}

The '''singing honeyeater''' ('''''Gavicalis virescens''''') is a small bird found in [[Australia]], and is part of the [[honeyeater]] family [[Meliphagidae]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Morcombe |first1=Michael |date=2000 |title=Field Guide to Australian Birds |location=Box 1058, Archerfield, Qld |publisher=Steve Parish Publishing |page=256 |isbn=174021417X}}</ref> The bird lives in a wide range of shrubland, woodland, and coastal habitat. It is relatively common and is widespread right across Australia west of the [[Great Dividing Range]], through to the west coast and on Western Australian coastal islands. It does not occur in other countries.

 

 

==Ecology==

 

Singing honeyeaters breed between July and February. They are capable of forming longtime relationships with partners. When they are breeding, they show aggressive actions. Their nest is a cup of grass, plant stems, and spider webs. The eggs are a light cream-brown with some darker spots.

 

 

They associate with other species of birds, such as the [[brown honeyeater]] and the [[red wattlebird]]. They are different from many birds, however, because they lack the ability to communicate with isolated birds of the same species. As a study by M.C. Baker (1996) showed, the birds of the mainland did not respond to the songs of singing honeyeaters found on an island off Australia's west coast. The study showed that the songs of the birds on the island were shorter, had less song and syllable types, and had fewer syllables and notes per song.<ref>Baker, M.C. (1996) "Depauperate meme pool of vocal signals in an island population of singing honeyeaters." ''Animal Behaviour'' 51:853-858</ref>

{{Taxonbar|from=Q27075251}}

 

[[Category:Endemic birds of Australia]]