Little friarbird | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Meliphagidae |
Genus: | Philemon |
Species: | P. citreogularis
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Binomial name | |
Philemon citreogularis (
Gould, 1837)
|
The little friarbird (Philemon citreogularis), also known as the little leatherhead or yellow-throated friarbird, is the smallest of the friarbirds within the Philemon genus. [2] It is found throughout northern and eastern Australia as well as southern Papua New Guinea. [2] It lives a very prominent life, whereby it can easily be seen chasing other honeyeaters, and also it is very vocal. [3] However, the little friarbird is usually spotted high up in trees, rarely being seen on the ground. [3]
The little friarbird ranges from 25–30 centimetres (9.8–11.8 in) in length. [4] The average size tends to be 27 centimetres (11 in) with an average weight of 67 grams (2.4 oz). [5] Although males and females tend to be very similar in appearance, males are larger. [3]
The little friarbird can be easily distinguished from other friarbirds by the absence of a casque (a prominent ridge or bump present on the beak). [6] Another key recognisable feature is the bare blue skin present under the eye which widens over the cheek. (The bare blue skin can vary from grey to black in tone.) [5] [7] [8] Dark feathers are present both above and below the blue skin. [8] The top of the head and body are a dark grey-brown with a dull white fringe present on the nape which flows around to a wide patch on the side of the neck. [6] Fine silky white feathers are present under the chin with silvery white streaks flowing down the breast merging to pale grey for the underbody of the little friarbird. [4] [6]
The little friarbird also has a black curved bill, dark brown eyes with bluish black legs. [6] Its flight characteristics involve wing-beats which are shallow and quivering in nature. [2] The tail is clearly square-cut when spread with slight pale tips present on the tail feathers. [2]
Juvenile little friarbirds tend to have a paler appearance with a lighter facial skin. [8] The chin, throat and, in some cases, upper breast tend to appear as a washed yellow with yellow spots on the side of the breast. [2] [8] The term ‘citreogularis’ is frequently used to describe young birds which have a yellow fore-neck. [6] The tail feathers also tend to appear with a shallower cut, unlike those of adult little friarbirds. [6]
The little friarbird has a very distinct voice consisting of a repeated liquid mellow "gee-wit" or "chewip". [2] When breeding, the song is extended and includes chattering scoldings. [2] A common sequence may be paraphrased as "rackety-crookshank". [9]
The little friarbird has been observed feeding alone, in pairs and small flocks. [5] However, they are rarely seen feeding on the ground as they prefer to remain in the trees and feed with other honeyeaters in mixed groups. [5] They feed on nectar, blossoms, fruit, invertebrates, and sometimes flowers and seeds. [3] [5] [7]
The little friarbird is present most predominantly in northern Australia with seasonal movements to south-east Australia. [5] They have been witnessed from the district of Broome in Western Australia through the Kimberleys into the northern portion of the Northern Territory. [2] They have been sighted throughout most of Queensland going as far inland as Mount Isa and Opalton. [2] In summer, they also spread throughout the south-east of Australia inhabiting the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory. [2]
The little friarbird has been sighted along the Murray River and throughout the Riverina within New South Wales. [2] In Victoria, the little friarbird is seen in the north-central region of the state, and near prominent bodies of water, such as Hattah Lakes. [2] Sightings occur as far as Morgan on the Murray River in South Australia. [2] They are also present in southern Papua New Guinea and on several islands adjacent to Australia. [2] [7]
The little friarbird is found most predominantly around water bodies. [2] They can be seen in swamp woodlands, mangroves, shrub communities, open forests and woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus tree species. [5] They also inhabit orchards, vineyards and gardens during a good flowering season. [2] They may also inhabit arid zones, but only where water bodies extend well into the area. [5]
Little friarbirds form monogamous pairs to breed. [3] Breeding records vary with the earliest being witnessed in July through to the latest in February. [6] [7] Pairs share the role of building the nest which is a deep open cup that is flimsy and able to be seen through (eggs are visible). [4] [5] [6] The nest comprises a large variety of materials including bark fiber, fine grass, spiders’ web, rootlets, and hair. [2] [6] The nest is usually built over a water body low in tree branches, 2–10 meters high, and suspended from twigs or within dropped foliage. [2] A clutch usually consist of 2–3 eggs (sometimes 4), which tend to be an oval to tapered oval shape, averaging 20 by 27 millimetres (0.79 in × 1.06 in) in size. [9] [2] [4] [7] The eggs appear chestnut in colour and can be a whitish pink to salmon red, or spotted purplish-red to purple. [2] Up to 2 broods can be raised within a single breeding season with the female being the sole incubator of the eggs. [4] A single nesting period tends to take 14 days within which 13 days of incubation occurs. [5] During the breeding season, the little friarbird is often parasitized by the common koel (Eudynamys scolopacea), a common cuckoo species. [3] [5]
Little friarbird | |
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![]() | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Meliphagidae |
Genus: | Philemon |
Species: | P. citreogularis
|
Binomial name | |
Philemon citreogularis (
Gould, 1837)
|
The little friarbird (Philemon citreogularis), also known as the little leatherhead or yellow-throated friarbird, is the smallest of the friarbirds within the Philemon genus. [2] It is found throughout northern and eastern Australia as well as southern Papua New Guinea. [2] It lives a very prominent life, whereby it can easily be seen chasing other honeyeaters, and also it is very vocal. [3] However, the little friarbird is usually spotted high up in trees, rarely being seen on the ground. [3]
The little friarbird ranges from 25–30 centimetres (9.8–11.8 in) in length. [4] The average size tends to be 27 centimetres (11 in) with an average weight of 67 grams (2.4 oz). [5] Although males and females tend to be very similar in appearance, males are larger. [3]
The little friarbird can be easily distinguished from other friarbirds by the absence of a casque (a prominent ridge or bump present on the beak). [6] Another key recognisable feature is the bare blue skin present under the eye which widens over the cheek. (The bare blue skin can vary from grey to black in tone.) [5] [7] [8] Dark feathers are present both above and below the blue skin. [8] The top of the head and body are a dark grey-brown with a dull white fringe present on the nape which flows around to a wide patch on the side of the neck. [6] Fine silky white feathers are present under the chin with silvery white streaks flowing down the breast merging to pale grey for the underbody of the little friarbird. [4] [6]
The little friarbird also has a black curved bill, dark brown eyes with bluish black legs. [6] Its flight characteristics involve wing-beats which are shallow and quivering in nature. [2] The tail is clearly square-cut when spread with slight pale tips present on the tail feathers. [2]
Juvenile little friarbirds tend to have a paler appearance with a lighter facial skin. [8] The chin, throat and, in some cases, upper breast tend to appear as a washed yellow with yellow spots on the side of the breast. [2] [8] The term ‘citreogularis’ is frequently used to describe young birds which have a yellow fore-neck. [6] The tail feathers also tend to appear with a shallower cut, unlike those of adult little friarbirds. [6]
The little friarbird has a very distinct voice consisting of a repeated liquid mellow "gee-wit" or "chewip". [2] When breeding, the song is extended and includes chattering scoldings. [2] A common sequence may be paraphrased as "rackety-crookshank". [9]
The little friarbird has been observed feeding alone, in pairs and small flocks. [5] However, they are rarely seen feeding on the ground as they prefer to remain in the trees and feed with other honeyeaters in mixed groups. [5] They feed on nectar, blossoms, fruit, invertebrates, and sometimes flowers and seeds. [3] [5] [7]
The little friarbird is present most predominantly in northern Australia with seasonal movements to south-east Australia. [5] They have been witnessed from the district of Broome in Western Australia through the Kimberleys into the northern portion of the Northern Territory. [2] They have been sighted throughout most of Queensland going as far inland as Mount Isa and Opalton. [2] In summer, they also spread throughout the south-east of Australia inhabiting the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory. [2]
The little friarbird has been sighted along the Murray River and throughout the Riverina within New South Wales. [2] In Victoria, the little friarbird is seen in the north-central region of the state, and near prominent bodies of water, such as Hattah Lakes. [2] Sightings occur as far as Morgan on the Murray River in South Australia. [2] They are also present in southern Papua New Guinea and on several islands adjacent to Australia. [2] [7]
The little friarbird is found most predominantly around water bodies. [2] They can be seen in swamp woodlands, mangroves, shrub communities, open forests and woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus tree species. [5] They also inhabit orchards, vineyards and gardens during a good flowering season. [2] They may also inhabit arid zones, but only where water bodies extend well into the area. [5]
Little friarbirds form monogamous pairs to breed. [3] Breeding records vary with the earliest being witnessed in July through to the latest in February. [6] [7] Pairs share the role of building the nest which is a deep open cup that is flimsy and able to be seen through (eggs are visible). [4] [5] [6] The nest comprises a large variety of materials including bark fiber, fine grass, spiders’ web, rootlets, and hair. [2] [6] The nest is usually built over a water body low in tree branches, 2–10 meters high, and suspended from twigs or within dropped foliage. [2] A clutch usually consist of 2–3 eggs (sometimes 4), which tend to be an oval to tapered oval shape, averaging 20 by 27 millimetres (0.79 in × 1.06 in) in size. [9] [2] [4] [7] The eggs appear chestnut in colour and can be a whitish pink to salmon red, or spotted purplish-red to purple. [2] Up to 2 broods can be raised within a single breeding season with the female being the sole incubator of the eggs. [4] A single nesting period tends to take 14 days within which 13 days of incubation occurs. [5] During the breeding season, the little friarbird is often parasitized by the common koel (Eudynamys scolopacea), a common cuckoo species. [3] [5]