Tawny-crowned Honeyeater
Encyclopedia
The Tawny-crowned Honeyeater (Gliciphila melanops) is a passerine
bird native to eastern Australia.
The Tawny-crowned Honeyeater was originally described by ornithologist John Latham
in 1802 as Certhia melanops. Its specific epithet is derived from the Ancient Greek
terms melano- 'black' and ōps 'face'.
It was previously classified in the genus Phylidonyris
but a recent molecular study has shown it to be more distantly related to members of that genus. It was placed in the genus Gliciphila by Gregory Mathews
in 1912, and this name was used in its current binomial
name. DNA
analysis has shown honeyeaters to be related to the Pardalotidae (pardalotes), Acanthizidae
(Australian warblers, scrubwrens, thornbills, etc.), and Maluridae
(Australian fairy-wrens) in a large Meliphagoidea
superfamily.
The Tawny-crowned Honeyeater is found in from the North Coast of New South Wales through to the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, as well as Victoria and Tasmania. It also occurs in south west Western Australia from Israelite Bay westwards. Its natural habitat is low shrubland and heath.
The breeding season may take place from June to December. The bulky cup-shaped nest is made of bark, grass, and even seaweed and line with softer material such as fur or wool. It is hidden among shrubby vegetation. The clutch size is 2-3, occasionally 4. Measuring 21 x 14 mm, the oval eggs are beige, with buff or pink-tinged splotches.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird native to eastern Australia.
The Tawny-crowned Honeyeater was originally described by ornithologist John Latham
John Latham (ornithologist)
John Latham was an English physician, naturalist and author. He was born at Eltham in Kent, and was the eldest son of John Latham, a surgeon there, and his mother was a descendant of the Sothebys, in Yorkshire....
in 1802 as Certhia melanops. Its specific epithet is derived from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
terms melano- 'black' and ōps 'face'.
It was previously classified in the genus Phylidonyris
Phylidonyris
The genus Phylidonyris is a member of the Honeyeater family.It contains the following species:*White-fronted Honeyeater, Phylidonyris albifrons*New Holland Honeyeater, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae...
but a recent molecular study has shown it to be more distantly related to members of that genus. It was placed in the genus Gliciphila by Gregory Mathews
Gregory Mathews
Gregory Macalister Mathews CBE was an Australian amateur ornithologist.Mathews made his fortune in mining shares, and moved to England around 1900....
in 1912, and this name was used in its current binomial
Binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...
name. DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
analysis has shown honeyeaters to be related to the Pardalotidae (pardalotes), Acanthizidae
Acanthizidae
The Acanthizidae, also known as the Australasian warblers, are a family of passerine birds which include gerygones, thornbills, and scrubwrens. The Acanthizidae consists of small to medium passerine birds, with a total length varying between 8 and 19 cm. They have short rounded wings, slender...
(Australian warblers, scrubwrens, thornbills, etc.), and Maluridae
Maluridae
The Maluridae are a family of small, insectivorous passerine birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea. Commonly known as wrens, they are unrelated to the true wrens of the Northern Hemisphere...
(Australian fairy-wrens) in a large Meliphagoidea
Meliphagoidea
Meliphagoidea is a superfamily of passerine birds. They contain a vast diversity of small to mid-sized songbirds widespread in the Austropacific region. The Australian Continent has the largest richness in genera and species.-Systematics:...
superfamily.
The Tawny-crowned Honeyeater is found in from the North Coast of New South Wales through to the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, as well as Victoria and Tasmania. It also occurs in south west Western Australia from Israelite Bay westwards. Its natural habitat is low shrubland and heath.
The breeding season may take place from June to December. The bulky cup-shaped nest is made of bark, grass, and even seaweed and line with softer material such as fur or wool. It is hidden among shrubby vegetation. The clutch size is 2-3, occasionally 4. Measuring 21 x 14 mm, the oval eggs are beige, with buff or pink-tinged splotches.