Little Friarbird

Little Friarbird

Philemon citreogularis

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Blue Mountains National Park
7 Verified sightings at Blue Mountains National Park From 2019 to 2026
585 Verified sightings across all 9 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Little Friarbird

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. It is found throughout northern and eastern Australia as well as southern Papua New Guinea. It lives a very prominent life, whereby it can easily be seen chasing other honeyeaters, and also it is very vocal. However, the little friarbird is usually spotted high up in trees, rarely being seen on the ground.

The little friarbird ranges from 25–30 centimetres (9.8–11.8 in) in length. The average size tends to be 27 centimetres (11 in) with an average weight of 67 grams (2.4 oz). Although males and females tend to be very similar in appearance, males are larger.

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). 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.) Dark feathers are present both above and below the blue skin. The top of the head and body are a dark grey-brown with a dull white fringe... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%
2 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
3 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
4 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
5 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
6 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
7 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
8 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
9 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Little Friarbird in Blue Mountains National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Little Friarbird sighting in Blue Mountains National Park, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Little Friarbird in Blue Mountains National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Little Friarbird in Blue Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

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