New Holland Honeyeater

Phylidonyris novaehollandiae

Family: Meliphagidae (Honeyeaters, 74 species in Australia)
Size: 16-19 cm
Distribution: Within about 300 km of the coasts of NSW, Eastern SA, southermost QLD, southwest WA. Most of VIC and TAS.
Status: Common
Habitat: Coastal heaths, woodlands.
References: Simpson and Day, Reader's Digest

The New Holland Honeyeater is a common bird in the Blue Mountains, especially the Upper Blue Mountains. They are small and distinctive in appearance, and often seen in gardens where there are some native nectar-bearing plants such as bottlebrushes.

There is also a White-cheeked Honeyeater, which looks very similar except it has white cheeks.

New Holland Honeyeater - Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Photo: Blaxland, Blue Mountains NSW

New Holland Honeyeater - Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Artwork: John Gould, 'The Birds of Australia', 1848. Original Scanned Image.

Some Birdwatching Resources


Field Guide to Australian Birds: Complete Compact Edition, by Michael Morcombe Field Guide to Australian Birds: Complete Compact Edition, by Michael Morcombe. Based on the above larger book. It's a while since I've seen this one. The publisher's commentary says that "This slimline, compact edition contains the same information on mainland and Tasmanian birds as his best-selling handbook, the Field Guide to Australian Birds. Features include plastic jacket, QuickFind system of colour tags and Quick Index ensure durability and ease of use in the field."

Purchase from Australia (Booktopia)

Purchase from Australia (Angus & Robertson)


Sydney Birds and Where to Find Them, Peter Roberts. Sydney Birds and Where to Find Them, Peter Roberts. The 30 top bird-watching localities in and around Sydney. These birding hot spots stretch from Tuggerah Lakes on the Central Coast to Lake Illawarra near Wollongong and from the Blue Mountains in the west to some surprisingly accessible sites tucked away in the heart of the city. Each locality entry lists the key species to look out for including rare and seasonal visitors. It describes how to access the location, and what amenities to expect; maps are featured. There is also a handy list of Sydney birds, each entry providing information on the best spots to find it.

Purchase from Australia (Booktopia)

Click here to purchase from Australia (The Nile)

Click here to purchase from Australia (Fishpond)

See Also

Australian Bird Field Guides

Return to Australian Birds
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New Holland Honeyeater - Phylidonyris novaehollandiae

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