Eastern Spinebill
Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyMeliphagidae (Honeyeaters)
- GenusAcanthorhynchus (Spinebills)
- SpeciesAcanthorhynchus tenuirostris (Eastern Spinebill)
About the Eastern Spinebill
The eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) is a species of honeyeater found in eastern Australia from Queensland to Tasmania in forest and woodland areas, as well as gardens in urban areas. It is around 15 cm long, and has a distinctive black, white and chestnut plumage, a red eye, and a long downcurved bill.
Originally described as Certhia tenuirostris by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801, it is a member of the small genus Acanthorhynchus with one other, the western spinebill of Western Australia. The generic name is derived from the Greek translation of spinebill, namely acantho-/ακανθο- 'spine' and rhynchos/ρυνχος 'bill'. Its specific epithet is from Latin tenuis 'narrow' and rostrum 'bill'. Other English names include spine-billed honeyeater and awl-bird or cobbler's awl bird. The eastern spinebill is polytypic, consisting of the subspecies A. t. cairnsensis, A. t. dubius, A. t. halmaturinus, and the nominate subspecies A. t. tenuirostris.
The eastern spinebill forms a superspecies with the closely related western spinebill. Scientists believe the two sister species are descended from a shared ancestor whose once widespread populations were... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Flinders Chase
Red Wattlebird
Anthochaera carunculata
New Holland Honeyeater
Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Crescent Honeyeater
Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus
White-eared Honeyeater
Nesoptilotis leucotis
Tawny-crowned Honeyeater
Gliciphila melanops
Purple-gaped Honeyeater
Lichenostomus cratitius
Brown-headed Honeyeater
Melithreptus brevirostris
Noisy Miner
Manorina melanocephala
Little Wattlebird
Anthochaera chrysoptera
White-fronted Chat
Epthianura albifrons
White-naped Honeyeater
Melithreptus lunatus
Superb Fairywren
Malurus cyaneus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Flinders Chase | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 15 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Eastern Spinebill in Flinders Chase?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Eastern Spinebill sighting in Flinders Chase, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Eastern Spinebill in Flinders Chase?
July has the highest sighting rate for Eastern Spinebill in Flinders Chase in our monthly data.