Ptilotula penicillata
Silhouette: PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The white-plumed honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata, formerly Lichenostomus penicillatus) is a medium-sized passerine of the family Meliphagidae (honeyeaters) endemic to mainland Australia. Its key identifying characteristics are a primarily olive-grey body and yellow face, a slightly down-curved bill and its white distal neck-plumes from which it takes its name. White-Plumed Honeyeaters exhibit a preference for woodlands and riparian areas and have a very strong association with River Red Gums. They exhibit a small seasonal migration from ranges to lower areas in winter. Today the species is most commonly seen through Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, but is also found in regions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. They are often seen in gardens and backyards with vegetation cover.
Honeyeaters are most diverse group of passerine birds on continental Australia and the White-plumed honeyeater is one of the most common honeyeaters of urban areas throughout much of Australia. The first formal description of Ptilotula penicillata was by John Gould in 1837 who named it Lichenostomus penicillatus and placed it within the Ptilotula group within the Meliphagidae... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alice Springs Desert Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White-plumed Honeyeater sighting in Great Otway National Park on a given day, based on 81 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 114th most-seen of the 175 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-plumed Honeyeater in Great Otway National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July to May, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-plumed Honeyeater sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
5th of 9
Of the 9 parks where we can rate White-plumed Honeyeater sightings, Great Otway National Park ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Australia, about 90%), Flinders Ranges National Park (Australia, about 30%) and Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Meliphagidae
The closest relatives of the White-plumed Honeyeater that you can see in Great Otway National Park (family Meliphagidae, Honeyeaters) are Red Wattlebird (about 70%), New Holland Honeyeater (about 60%) and White-eared Honeyeater (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-plumed Honeyeater is recorded against all the birds logged in Great Otway National Park (81 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
