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Honeyeater

January 01, 1970

For the Southern Asian birds formerly known as honeyeaters, see Sunbird.
For the general consumption of honey by animals, see Mellivory.

The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family, Meliphagidae, of small to medium-sized birds. The family includes the Australian chats, myzomelas, friarbirds, wattlebirds, miners and melidectes. They are most common in Australia and New Guinea, and found also in New Zealand, the Pacific islands as far east as Samoa and Tonga, and the islands to the north and west of New Guinea known as Wallacea. Bali, on the other side of the Wallace Line, has a single species.[2][3]

Honeyeaters
Female crescent honeyeater (Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus)
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Superfamily: Meliphagoidea
Family: Meliphagidae
Vigors, 1825
Genera[1]

See text

In total, there are 186 species in 55 genera, roughly half of them native to Australia, many of the remainder occupying New Guinea.[4][5] With their closest relatives, the Maluridae (Australian fairy-wrens), Pardalotidae (pardalotes), and Acanthizidae (thornbills, Australian warblers, scrubwrens, etc.), they comprise the superfamily Meliphagoidea and originated early in the evolutionary history of the oscine passerine radiation.[6] Although honeyeaters look and behave very much like other nectar-feeding passerines around the world (such as the sunbirds and flowerpeckers), they are unrelated, and the similarities are the consequence of convergent evolution.

The extent of the evolutionary partnership between honeyeaters and Australasian flowering plants is unknown, but probably substantial. A great many Australian plants are fertilised by honeyeaters, particularly the Proteaceae, Myrtaceae, and Ericaceae. It is known that the honeyeaters are important in New Zealand (see Anthornis) as well, and assumed that the same applies in other areas.

Description edit

 
A female eastern spinebill feeding. Honeyeaters typically hang from branches while feeding on nectar.

Honeyeaters can be either nectarivorous, insectivorous, frugivorous, or a combination of nectar- and insect-eating.[7] Unlike the hummingbirds of America, honeyeaters do not have extensive adaptations for hovering flight, though smaller members of the family do hover hummingbird-style to collect nectar from time to time. In general, honeyeaters prefer to flit quickly from perch to perch in the outer foliage, stretching up or sideways or hanging upside down at need. Many genera have a highly developed brush-tipped tongue, frayed and fringed with bristles which soak up liquids readily. The tongue is flicked rapidly and repeatedly into a flower, the upper mandible then compressing any liquid out when the bill is closed.

In addition to nectar, all or nearly all honeyeaters take insects and other small creatures, usually by hawking, sometimes by gleaning. A few of the larger species, notably the white-eared honeyeater, and the strong-billed honeyeater of Tasmania, probe under bark for insects and other morsels. Many species supplement their diets with a little fruit, and a small number eat considerable amounts of fruit,[8] particularly in tropical rainforests and, oddly, in semi-arid scrubland. The painted honeyeater is a mistletoe specialist. Most, however, exist on a diet of nectar supplemented by varying quantities of insects. In general, the honeyeaters with long, fine bills are more nectarivorous, the shorter-billed species less so, but even specialised nectar eaters like the spinebills take extra insects to add protein to their diet when breeding.

The movements of honeyeaters are poorly understood. Most are at least partially mobile but many movements seem to be local, possibly between favourite haunts as the conditions change. Fluctuations in local abundance are common, but the small number of definitely migratory honeyeater species aside, the reasons are yet to be discovered. Many follow the flowering of favourite food plants. Arid zone species appear to travel further and less predictably than those of the more fertile areas. It seems probable that no single explanation will emerge: the general rule for honeyeater movements is that there is no general rule.

Taxonomy and systematics edit

See also: List of honeyeaters

The genera Cleptornis (golden honeyeater) and Apalopteron (Bonin honeyeater), formerly treated in the Meliphagidae, have recently been transferred to the Zosteropidae on genetic evidence. The genus Notiomystis (New Zealand stitchbird), formerly classified in the Meliphagidae, has recently been removed to the newly erected Notiomystidae of which it is the only member.[9] The "Macgregor's bird-of-paradise", historically considered a bird-of-paradise (Paradisaeidae), was recently found to be a honeyeater.[10] It is now known as "MacGregor's honeyeater" and is classified in the Meliphagidae.

The wattled smoky honeyeater (Melipotes carolae), described in 2007, had been discovered in December 2005 in the Foja Mountains of Papua, Indonesia.[11]

In 2008, a study that included molecular phylogenetic analysis of museum specimens in the genera Moho and Chaetoptila, both extinct genera endemic to the Hawaiian islands, argued that these five species were not members of the Meliphagidae and instead belong to their own distinct family, the Mohoidae.[12]

References edit

  1. ^ Sibley, C.G. and Monroe, B.L. Jr. (1990). Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-04969-2.
  2. ^ Andersen, M.J.; Naikatini, A.; Moyle, R.C. (2014). "A molecular phylogeny of Pacific honeyeaters (Aves: Meliphagidae) reveals extensive paraphyly and an isolated Polynesian radiation". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 71: 308–315. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.014. PMID 24315868.
  3. ^ Del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. and Christie D. (editors). (2006). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-84-96553-42-2
  4. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020). "Honeyeaters". IOC World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  5. ^ Hay, Eleanor M.; McGee, Matthew D.; Chown, Steven L. (2022). "Geographic range size and speciation in honeyeaters". BMC Ecology and Evolution. 22 (1): 86. doi:10.1186/s12862-022-02041-6. PMC 9245323. PMID 35768772. S2CID 250147316.
  6. ^ Barker, F.K.; Cibois, A.; Schikler, P.; Feinstein, J.; Cracraft, J. (2004). "Phylogeny and diversification of the largest avian radiation". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 101 (30): 11040–11045. Bibcode:2004PNAS..10111040B. doi:10.1073/pnas.0401892101. PMC 503738. PMID 15263073.
  7. ^ Driskell, Amy C.; Christidis, Les (2004). (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 31 (3): 943–960. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2003.10.017. PMID 15120392. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2012.
  8. ^ Lindsey, Terence (1991). Forshaw, Joseph (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds. London: Merehurst Press. p. 208. ISBN 1-85391-186-0.
  9. ^ Driskell, A.C.; Christidis, L.; Gill, B.; Boles, W.E.; Barker, F.K.; Longmore, N.W. (2007). "A new endemic family of New Zealand passerine birds: adding heat to a biodiversity hotspot". Australian Journal of Zoology. 55 (2): 1–6. doi:10.1071/zo07007.
  10. ^ Cracraft, J.; Feinstein, J. (2000). "What is not a bird of paradise? Molecular and morphological evidence places Macgregoria in the Meliphagidae and the Cnemophilinae near the base of the corvoid tree". Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 267 (1440): 233–241. doi:10.1098/rspb.2000.0992. PMC 1690532. PMID 10714877.
  11. ^ Beehler, B.; Prawiradilaga, D.; de Fretes, Y.; Kemp, N. (2007). "A new species of smoky honeyeater (Meliphagidae: Melipotes) from western New Guinea". The Auk. 124 (3): 1000–1009. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2007)124[1000:ansosh]2.0.co;2. S2CID 85753152.
  12. ^ Fleischer, R. C.; James, H. F.; Olson, S. L. (2008). "Convergent Evolution of Hawaiian and Australo-Pacific Honeyeaters from Distant Songbird Ancestors". Current Biology. 18 (24): 1927–1931. Bibcode:2008CBio...18.1927F. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2008.10.051. PMID 19084408.

Further reading edit

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meliphagidae.
  • Honeyeater videos on the Internet Bird Collection
  • Meliphagoidea – Highlighting relationships of Maluridae on Tree Of Life Web Project

January 01, 1970
honeyeater, southern, asian, birds, formerly, known, honeyeaters, sunbird, general, consumption, honey, animals, mellivory, honeyeaters, large, diverse, family, meliphagidae, small, medium, sized, birds, family, includes, australian, chats, myzomelas, friarbir. For the Southern Asian birds formerly known as honeyeaters see Sunbird For the general consumption of honey by animals see Mellivory The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family Meliphagidae of small to medium sized birds The family includes the Australian chats myzomelas friarbirds wattlebirds miners and melidectes They are most common in Australia and New Guinea and found also in New Zealand the Pacific islands as far east as Samoa and Tonga and the islands to the north and west of New Guinea known as Wallacea Bali on the other side of the Wallace Line has a single species 2 3 Honeyeaters Female crescent honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Passeriformes Superfamily Meliphagoidea Family MeliphagidaeVigors 1825 Genera 1 See text In total there are 186 species in 55 genera roughly half of them native to Australia many of the remainder occupying New Guinea 4 5 With their closest relatives the Maluridae Australian fairy wrens Pardalotidae pardalotes and Acanthizidae thornbills Australian warblers scrubwrens etc they comprise the superfamily Meliphagoidea and originated early in the evolutionary history of the oscine passerine radiation 6 Although honeyeaters look and behave very much like other nectar feeding passerines around the world such as the sunbirds and flowerpeckers they are unrelated and the similarities are the consequence of convergent evolution The extent of the evolutionary partnership between honeyeaters and Australasian flowering plants is unknown but probably substantial A great many Australian plants are fertilised by honeyeaters particularly the Proteaceae Myrtaceae and Ericaceae It is known that the honeyeaters are important in New Zealand see Anthornis as well and assumed that the same applies in other areas Contents 1 Description 2 Taxonomy and systematics 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksDescription edit nbsp A female eastern spinebill feeding Honeyeaters typically hang from branches while feeding on nectar Honeyeaters can be either nectarivorous insectivorous frugivorous or a combination of nectar and insect eating 7 Unlike the hummingbirds of America honeyeaters do not have extensive adaptations for hovering flight though smaller members of the family do hover hummingbird style to collect nectar from time to time In general honeyeaters prefer to flit quickly from perch to perch in the outer foliage stretching up or sideways or hanging upside down at need Many genera have a highly developed brush tipped tongue frayed and fringed with bristles which soak up liquids readily The tongue is flicked rapidly and repeatedly into a flower the upper mandible then compressing any liquid out when the bill is closed In addition to nectar all or nearly all honeyeaters take insects and other small creatures usually by hawking sometimes by gleaning A few of the larger species notably the white eared honeyeater and the strong billed honeyeater of Tasmania probe under bark for insects and other morsels Many species supplement their diets with a little fruit and a small number eat considerable amounts of fruit 8 particularly in tropical rainforests and oddly in semi arid scrubland The painted honeyeater is a mistletoe specialist Most however exist on a diet of nectar supplemented by varying quantities of insects In general the honeyeaters with long fine bills are more nectarivorous the shorter billed species less so but even specialised nectar eaters like the spinebills take extra insects to add protein to their diet when breeding The movements of honeyeaters are poorly understood Most are at least partially mobile but many movements seem to be local possibly between favourite haunts as the conditions change Fluctuations in local abundance are common but the small number of definitely migratory honeyeater species aside the reasons are yet to be discovered Many follow the flowering of favourite food plants Arid zone species appear to travel further and less predictably than those of the more fertile areas It seems probable that no single explanation will emerge the general rule for honeyeater movements is that there is no general rule Taxonomy and systematics editSee also List of honeyeaters The genera Cleptornis golden honeyeater and Apalopteron Bonin honeyeater formerly treated in the Meliphagidae have recently been transferred to the Zosteropidae on genetic evidence The genus Notiomystis New Zealand stitchbird formerly classified in the Meliphagidae has recently been removed to the newly erected Notiomystidae of which it is the only member 9 The Macgregor s bird of paradise historically considered a bird of paradise Paradisaeidae was recently found to be a honeyeater 10 It is now known as MacGregor s honeyeater and is classified in the Meliphagidae The wattled smoky honeyeater Melipotes carolae described in 2007 had been discovered in December 2005 in the Foja Mountains of Papua Indonesia 11 In 2008 a study that included molecular phylogenetic analysis of museum specimens in the genera Moho and Chaetoptila both extinct genera endemic to the Hawaiian islands argued that these five species were not members of the Meliphagidae and instead belong to their own distinct family the Mohoidae 12 References edit Sibley C G and Monroe B L Jr 1990 Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World New Haven Yale University Press ISBN 0 300 04969 2 Andersen M J Naikatini A Moyle R C 2014 A molecular phylogeny of Pacific honeyeaters Aves Meliphagidae reveals extensive paraphyly and an isolated Polynesian radiation Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 71 308 315 doi 10 1016 j ympev 2013 11 014 PMID 24315868 Del Hoyo J Elliot A and Christie D editors 2006 Handbook of the Birds of the World Volume 12 Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees Lynx Edicions ISBN 978 84 96553 42 2 Gill Frank Donsker David Rasmussen Pamela eds 2020 Honeyeaters IOC World Bird List Version 10 1 International Ornithologists Union Retrieved 22 February 2020 Hay Eleanor M McGee Matthew D Chown Steven L 2022 Geographic range size and speciation in honeyeaters BMC Ecology and Evolution 22 1 86 doi 10 1186 s12862 022 02041 6 PMC 9245323 PMID 35768772 S2CID 250147316 Barker F K Cibois A Schikler P Feinstein J Cracraft J 2004 Phylogeny and diversification of the largest avian radiation Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101 30 11040 11045 Bibcode 2004PNAS 10111040B doi 10 1073 pnas 0401892101 PMC 503738 PMID 15263073 Driskell Amy C Christidis Les 2004 Phylogeny and evolution of the Australo Papuan honeyeaters Passeriformes Meliphagidae PDF Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31 3 943 960 doi 10 1016 j ympev 2003 10 017 PMID 15120392 Archived from the original PDF on 1 May 2012 Lindsey Terence 1991 Forshaw Joseph ed Encyclopaedia of Animals Birds London Merehurst Press p 208 ISBN 1 85391 186 0 Driskell A C Christidis L Gill B Boles W E Barker F K Longmore N W 2007 A new endemic family of New Zealand passerine birds adding heat to a biodiversity hotspot Australian Journal of Zoology 55 2 1 6 doi 10 1071 zo07007 Cracraft J Feinstein J 2000 What is not a bird of paradise Molecular and morphological evidence places Macgregoria in the Meliphagidae and the Cnemophilinae near the base of the corvoid tree Proc R Soc Lond B 267 1440 233 241 doi 10 1098 rspb 2000 0992 PMC 1690532 PMID 10714877 Beehler B Prawiradilaga D de Fretes Y Kemp N 2007 A new species of smoky honeyeater Meliphagidae Melipotes from western New Guinea The Auk 124 3 1000 1009 doi 10 1642 0004 8038 2007 124 1000 ansosh 2 0 co 2 S2CID 85753152 Fleischer R C James H F Olson S L 2008 Convergent Evolution of Hawaiian and Australo Pacific Honeyeaters from Distant Songbird Ancestors Current Biology 18 24 1927 1931 Bibcode 2008CBio 18 1927F doi 10 1016 j cub 2008 10 051 PMID 19084408 Further reading editFord H A 2001 Family Meliphagidae honeyeaters and Australian chats PDF In Higgins Peter J Peter Jeffrey M Steele W K eds Handbook of Australian New Zealand and Antarctic Birds Volume 5 Tyrant flycatchers to Chats Melbourne Oxford University Press pp 457 461 ISBN 0 19 553258 9 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meliphagidae Honeyeater videos on the Internet Bird Collection Meliphagoidea Highlighting relationships of Maluridae on Tree Of Life Web Project Portal nbsp Birds Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Honeyeater amp oldid 1218212223, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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