New Holland HoneyeaterScientific name: Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Meaning of name: Phylidonyris is from the French word phylidonyre, combining the name phyledon, meaning honeyeater, and Cinnyris, being the genus for sunbirds, of which the honeyeaters were originally considered to be members. Novaehollandiae means from New Holland.
Aboriginal name: Bandin (ban’deen). The same name is also used for the White-cheeked Honeyeater.
Distribution: New Holland Honeyeaters are found from north of Perth, throughout the southwest to near the South Australian border. The eastern population is found from west of Spencer gulf in South Australia, along the south coast and north to north of Brisbane in Queensland. They are also found in Tasmania.
Description: New Holland Honeyeaters are up to 20cm long with a 23cm wingspan.
Notes: The furthest distance recorded by the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme for this species of bird to travel is 330 km. The oldest bird recorded was still alive when its band was read in April 1984, 14 years 5.2 months after being banded (information as at 21 June 2012).
References: Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Various contributors.
What Bird is That? Neville W Cayley. 1978
Aboriginal names of bird species in south-west Western Australia, with suggestions for their adoption into common usage. Ian Abbott. 2009. Conservation Science Western Australia Journal. Volume 7 No 2 http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/about-us/science-and-research/76-publications-and-resources/103-conservation-science-wa-journal
Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/science/abbbs/abbbs-search.html
This photograph was not taken in the reserves of interest to the FQPB. Photograph courtesy of B Wykes.
New Holland Honeyeaters only became resident in the reserves in mid-2010.
