Singing Honeyeater

Singing Honeyeater

Gavicalis virescens

Silhouette: Rachael Joakim · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
at Ningaloo Marine Park

In 3 days >90%

365 Verified sightings at Ningaloo Marine Park From 2019 to 2026
2,405 In all 8 parks
April Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Singing Honeyeater

The singing honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens) is a small bird found in Australia, and is part of the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. The bird lives in a wide range of shrubland, woodland, and coastal habitat. It is relatively common and is widespread right across Australia west of the Great Dividing Range, through to the west coast and on Western Australian coastal islands. It does not occur in other countries.

The singing honeyeater was originally described as Meliphaga virescens lipferti. It was previously placed in the genus Lichenostomus, but was moved to Gavicalis after a molecular phylogenetic analysis, published in 2011, showed that the original genus was polyphyletic. The generic name is formed from an anagram of the sister genus Caligavis; the specific epithet is the Latin virescens meaning 'greenish'.

Singing honeyeaters can vary in length from 17–22 cm (6.7–8.7 in). Their overall appearance is grey-brown. The tail and wings are olive-green with flashes of yellow. There is a broad, black stripe running from the behind the beak to the back, and a yellow streak immediately below this from the eye. The bird's song ranges from scratchy to melodious... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:29

Australia · 2023

© Peter Boesman · XC859882 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Song1:03

Australia · 2021

© Marc Anderson · XC693212 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Call0:26

Australia · 2017

© Christopher Watson · XC643095 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Rottnest Island 🇦🇺 Australia
~70%
2 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~70%
3 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~70%
4 Cape Range 🇦🇺 Australia
~60%
5 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%
6 Hattah-Kulkyne National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
7 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
8 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Perth 🇦🇺 Australia
~70%
2 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Singing Honeyeater in Ningaloo Marine Park?

Very likely

About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Singing Honeyeater sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park on a given day, based on 365 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 102 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Singing Honeyeater in Ningaloo Marine Park?

April and June

In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Singing Honeyeater in Ningaloo Marine Park on a given day, against about 50% in December to February, the lowest months. Those are among Ningaloo Marine Park's wettest months, with about 35 mm of rain a month against almost none in October.

What time of day is best to see a Singing Honeyeater?

Between 2 and 5 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Singing Honeyeater sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Ningaloo Marine Park the best place to see a Singing Honeyeater?

Among the best

Of the 8 parks where we can rate Singing Honeyeater sightings, Ningaloo Marine Park ranks 2nd at about 70%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Rottnest Island (Australia, about 70%). All parks ranked.

Which relatives of the Singing Honeyeater live in Ningaloo Marine Park?

Same family: Meliphagidae

The closest relatives of the Singing Honeyeater that you can see in Ningaloo Marine Park (family Meliphagidae, Honeyeaters) are Yellow-throated Miner (about 20%), Brown Honeyeater (about 20%) and Grey-headed Honeyeater (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Singing Honeyeater sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Singing Honeyeater is recorded against all the birds logged in Ningaloo Marine Park (365 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.

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