Purple-gaped Honeyeater

About the Purple-gaped Honeyeater

The purple-gaped honeyeater (Lichenostomus cratitius) is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to semi-arid southern Australia, where it inhabits mallee, tall heath and associated low eucalypt woodland.

The purple-gaped honeyeater is a medium-sized (16-19 centimetres) honeyeater which is generally grey-olive above and buffish yellow below. They have a patterned head, with a black eyestripe against a grey background and purple gape above a yellow streak on the throat and pointed yellow ear coverts. Juveniles are similar, but with duller facial patterns, slightly browner plumage, and a yellow gape and gape line. The Kangaroo Island subspecies is considered to be larger and darker than the mainland subspecies.

Similar species include yellow-plumed honeyeater and singing honeyeater. The bird is also named Wattle-Cheeked Honeyeater in Birds of Australia vol 11 by Gregory Mathews The song is a clear toweet-toweet-toweet, followed by a high-pitched yep-yep-yep, often performed from a tall branch, including before dawn. They occur in disjunct populations across southern Australia, east from southern Western Australia, with... Wikipedia →