- Manorina melanocephala
Identification
28cm. Grey body, black crown and cheeks, yellow bill, legs and the naked skin behind the eye.
Distribution
Taxonomy
There are four subspecies.1
- M. m. titaniota
- Interior of southern Cape York Peninsula, northeastern Queensland
- M. m. lepidota
- Eastern Australia
- M. m. melanocephala
- Southeastern Australia
- M. m. leachi
- Eastern Tasmania
Habitat
Woodlands and open forests.
Behaviour
Diet includes nectar, fruits and insects. Very occasionally they will eat small reptiles and amphibians.
The female constructs the nest and incubates the eggs alone, but both sexes will care for and feed the young birds. Additional 'helpers' usually also feed the young. These helpers are almost always male birds.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.