Tawny-crowned honeyeater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tawny-crowned honeyeater |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The tawny-crowned honeyeater (Gliciphila melanops) is a small passerine bird. This means it's a type of perching bird. It lives in southern Australia.
About Its Name and Family
The tawny-crowned honeyeater was first described in 1801 by a bird expert named John Latham. He named it Certhia melanops. The second part of its name, melanops, comes from ancient Greek words. Melano- means 'black' and ōps means 'face'. So, its name describes its appearance.
This bird used to be in a different group of birds called Phylidonyris. But new scientific studies, which looked at the birds' DNA, showed it was not as closely related to those birds as once thought. In 1912, Gregory Mathews placed it in the group Gliciphila. This is why its current scientific name is Gliciphila melanops.
DNA analysis helps scientists understand how different animals are related. It has shown that honeyeaters are related to other Australian birds. These include pardalotes, Australian warblers, and Australian fairy-wrens. They all belong to a large bird family group called Meliphagoidea.
There are two main types, or subspecies, of the tawny-crowned honeyeater. One is called G. melanops melanops. The other is G. melanops chelidonia. The G. melanops chelidonia subspecies lives only in Tasmania. It has a slightly reddish-brown color in its feathers.
Where It Lives
The tawny-crowned honeyeater can be found in many parts of southern Australia. It lives along the North Coast of New South Wales. You can also find it in Victoria and Tasmania. It lives in South Australia, stretching to the Eyre Peninsula. In Western Australia, it lives in the southwest, near Israelite Bay.
These birds like to live in low shrubland and heathland. These are areas with small bushes and plants. They used to live in urban Sydney, but they have not been seen there since 1971. This means they no longer live in that city area.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Tawny-crowned honeyeaters usually breed between June and December. They build a nest that looks like a cup. It is made from materials like bark, grass, and even seaweed. They line the inside with soft things like fur or wool to make it cozy. The nest is usually hidden well among bushes and shrubs.
A female bird usually lays two or three eggs at a time. Sometimes, she might lay four. The eggs are oval-shaped and measure about 21 by 14 millimeters. They are a beige color, with spots that are buff or pinkish.
Gallery
See also
In Spanish: Mielero coronado para niños
