Regent honeyeater
Common name: Regent honeyeater
Scientific name: Xanthomyza phrygia
Family: Meliphagidae
Conservation status: The regent honeyeater is 'Endangered' in Queensland (Nature Conservation Act 1992) and 'Endangered' nationally (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). It is ranked as a medium priority under the Department of Environment and resource Management Back on Track species prioritisation framework.
Description
The adult regent honeyeater is one of Australia's most striking and handsome birds. It is a medium-large sized honeyeater, up to 23cm in length. Females are slightly smaller than males. Both sexes look alike, possessing a black head with a pink or cream coloured patch of warty skin around the eye. The upper parts of the body and wings are black with yellow patches and streaks. The throat and upper-breast are black merging into a pale lemon on the lower breast were the feathers are scalloped black. The tail is black with yellow edging to the feathers. The bill and feet are primarily dark.
The call consists of a series of soft fluid phrases and short metallic chinks.
Habitat and distribution
The regent honeyeater is found from Dalby, south-eastern Queensland, south to Wilmington, South Australia, especially along the ranges and the western slopes. It is an irregular autumn-winter visitor to Queensland. In south-east Queensland it is found extremely irregularly, ranging from Cooloola National Park to near the Queensland-New South Wales border. The estimated total population is between 500 and 1500 individuals.
The regent honeyeater is found in dry eucalypt woodland and open forest, rural and urban areas with mature eucalypts. It favours ironbark-box associations, mugga ironbark including Eucalyptus sideroxylon, white box E. albens, yellow box E. melliodora, swamp mahogany E. robusta, and river she-oak Casuarina cunninghamiana with associated needle-leaf mistletoe Amyena cambagei in riparian forest, which generally comprise large trees that are reliable nectar producers (both in timing and quantity) with a tall shrub layer
Behaviour and life history
Generally this honeyeater is found singularly or in small groups, however flocks up to 37 birds have been recorded. The regent honeyeater is nomadic or partial seasonal migrant that is dependent on flower availability. This species is aggressive especially toward other nectar feeders. Breeding pairs occupy territories occasionally in loose aggregations and may hold temporary feeding territories outside breeding season. Breeding pairs also exhibit some fidelity to breeding site/district and attempts are generally recorded every year at the same sites between August and November. Sightings outside 4-6 weeks either side of this breeding period are sporadic and very uncommon.
Threatening processes
A major threat to the regent honeyeater is destruction and fragmentation of habitat. Other threats include, loss of trees due to felling for fence posts and firewood, and eucalypt dieback; decline in habitat quality, including lack of regeneration, due to stock and rabbit grazing and stock trampling of riparian habitats; and competition with other aggressive honeyeater species.
Recovery actions
The Recovery Plan recommends:
- Monitoring program at the three main breeding areas, Capertee Valley, NSW; Bundarra, NSW; and Chiltern, Vic,
- Rehabilitate and revegetate habitat and facilitate community ownership and participation in these activities
- Initiate innovative research into movement patterns, particularly post breeding, and the degree of isolation between breeding populations.
- Investigate the impact of Noisy Miners on population stability.
- Educate the public about the species and its requirements.
- Develop habitat management partnerships with land owners within the range of the species.
Further information
Menkhorst, P, Schedvin, N and Geering, D . 1999. Regent Honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia) Recovery Plan 1999-2003. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra.
Last updated 1 March 2011