Myzomela obscura
Silhouette: Rachael Joakim · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
The dusky myzomela or dusky honeyeater (Myzomela obscura) is a small, brown bird that is a common resident of the Aru Islands, southern New Guinea and northern and eastern Australia, where there are two separated populations, one in the Top End, another from Cape York Peninsula along the east coast as far south as the New South Wales border, though the species is rare south of Rockhampton. The Moluccan myzomela (M. simplex), red-tinged myzomela (M. rubrotincta), and Biak myzomela (M. rubrobrunnea) were formerly considered conspecific, but was split as distinct species by the IOC in 2021.
Around 12 to 15 cm (5 to 6 in) long, dusky myzomelas are dull-coloured but active and fast moving, often hovering to take insects or nectar from flowers in the upper storey. They inhabit a wide range of habitat types, including monsoonal forests and scrubs, woodlands, swamps and almost any area near water.
Dusky myzomelas tend to be sedentary in sufficiently attractive areas, nomadic or migratory in less attractive districts, particularly in the southern part of their range. Breeding takes place in the dry season (typically March to September). The dusky myzomela normally constructs a small, neat cup nest out of fine bark, spiderwebs, and leaves, on a well-hidden branch high over water. Its eggs are white with fine reddish spots. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Nitmiluk National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Dusky Honeyeater sighting in Nitmiluk National Park on a given day, based on 182 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 20th most-seen of the 103 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and August
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Dusky Honeyeater in Nitmiluk National Park on a given day, against about 30% in November to April, the lowest months. Those are among Nitmiluk National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 270 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Dusky Honeyeater sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Dusky Honeyeater sightings, Nitmiluk National Park ranks 3rd at about 40%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Kakadu National Park (Australia, about 40%) and Litchfield National Park (Australia, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Meliphagidae
The closest relatives of the Dusky Honeyeater that you can see in Nitmiluk National Park (family Meliphagidae, Honeyeaters) are Brown Honeyeater (about 60%), White-throated Honeyeater (about 60%) and White-gaped Honeyeater (about 60%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Dusky Honeyeater is recorded against all the birds logged in Nitmiluk National Park (182 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.
