The white-fronted honeyeater (''Purnella albifrons'') is a medium-sized bird species

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Mainly distributed throughout

arid A region is arid when it severely lacks available water, to the extent of hindering or preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. Regions with arid climates tend to lack vegetation and are called xeric or desertic. Most ar ...

and

semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...

landscapes. The white-fronted honeyeater has distinct colourings with a white face, black or brown upper chest with white speckles and yellow panels on their brown wings. The white-fronted honeyeater was described by the English bird artist

John Gould John Gould (; 14 September 1804 – 3 February 1881) was an English ornithologist. He published a number of monographs on birds, illustrated by plates produced by his wife, Elizabeth Gould, and several other artists, including Edward Lear, ...

in 1841 and given the

binomial name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''Glyciphila albifrons''. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

combines ''albus'' meaning 'white' with ''frons'' meaning 'forehead' or 'front'. The white-fronted honeyeater was formerly in the genus ''

Phylidonyris ''Phylidonyris'' is a genus of birds in the honeyeater family that are endemic to Australia. It contains the following species: References Bird genera {{Meliphagidae-stub ...

'', but is now classified as their own

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

, ''Purnella''. The generic name was chosen to honour the

oologist Oology (or oölogy) is a branch of ornithology studying bird eggs, nests and breeding behaviour. The word is derived from the Greek ''oion'', meaning egg. Oology can also refer to the hobby of collecting wild birds' eggs, sometimes called egg c ...

and collector, Herbert A. Purnell.

Ecology

Diet

White-fronted honeyeaters (as the name suggests) primarily consume

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

from flowers. Studies have been undertaken to expand this field of knowledge and it has been identified that when nectar is not available or in minimal supply, white-fronted honeyeaters may consume a range of other materials such as seeds, plant matter and insects. This level of variation within the diet allows white-fronted honeyeaters to be able to adapt to different environments and survive in arid areas. The diet of white-fronted honeyeaters has been determined by previous observational studies as well as the analysis of

gizzard The gizzard, also referred to as the ventriculus, gastric mill, and gigerium, is an organ found in the digestive tract of some animals, including archosaurs (pterosaurs, crocodiles, alligators, dinosaurs, birds), earthworms, some gastropods, so ...

contents.

Behaviour

The white-fronted honeyeater moves quickly throughout landscapes; foraging for food and avoiding predators. The species regularly frequents tall shrub species, such as '' Eremophilia'' shrubs and flowering mallee plants''.'' White-fronted honeyeaters breed in small colonies. This process ensures that white-fronted honeyeaters can warn their neighbours of the same species, of potential

predators Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill the ...

when they are at their most vulnerable. The female white-fronted honeyeater constructs their nest from materials that are easy to find within their landscape, that can add support and structure to the nest. Materials include a range of

organic matter Organic matter, organic material, or natural organic matter refers to the large source of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have c ...

such as grasses, spider webs, roots, bark and plant stems. These materials are woven together to create a cup-like nest and is then lined with an extra layer to provide warmth and comfort to the chicks. This nest lining is composed of a mix of wool, cotton threads, fur and plant material. Nests are generally constructed in the lower branches of shrubs. The female white-fronted honeyeaters nurtures and broods the eggs, providing warmth and safety. When the eggs hatch, both the female and male white-fronted honeyeaters work tirelessly to provide sufficient food for their young.

Predatory threats

White-fronted honeyeaters must remain vigilant of predators at all times including when brooding their young. Other bird species can be a major threat to nesting white-fronted honeyeaters as species such as

butcherbird Butcherbirds are songbirds closely related to the Australian magpie. Most are found in the genus '' Cracticus'', but the black butcherbird is placed in the monotypic genus '' Melloria''. They are native to Australasia. Taxonomy Together with th ...

currawong Currawongs are three species of medium-sized passerine birds belonging to the genus ''Strepera'' in the family Artamidae native to Australia. These are the grey currawong (''Strepera versicolor''), pied currawong (''S. graculina''), and black cu ...

s and

corvids Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs, and nutcrackers. In colloquial English, they are known as the crow family or corvids. Currently, 133 ...

are known for raiding the nests of other bird species. These nest raiders are known to consume the eggs or young chicks of honeyeaters within Australia. Some snake species, such as the northern brown snake, are also known as nest predators, as they also consume the young chicks and eggs of the white-fronted honeyeater. Accidents can happen during breeding season resulting in the destruction of the eggs or the nest. Heavy rain events can destroy nests or dislodge the nest from the shrub where it is located. Honeyeater species in general have been found to occasionally destroy eggs.

Conservation

White-fronted honeyeaters are currently classified as 'least concern' under the

IUCN red list The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

. The species is secure in the majority of States and Territories in Australia, including SA,

VIC Vic (; es, Vic or Pancracio Celdrán (2004). Diccionario de topónimos españoles y sus gentilicios (5ª edición). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 843. ISBN 978-84-670-3054-9. «Vic o Vich (viquense, vigitano, vigatán, ausense, ausetano, ausonense): ...

NSW ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

QLD ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, NT and WA. White-fronted honeyeaters are not found in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

due to the geographical distance from mainland Australia and the landscape composition of Tasmania.

Gallery

File:White-fronted honeyeater.jpg, White-fronted honeyeater in a shrub File:White-fronted honeyeater 2.jpg, White-fronted honeyeater resting File:White-fronted Honeyeater (Purnella albifrons) (8079670117).jpg, The ability for white-fronted honeyeaters to blend in with their surroundings via

camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q589593 white-fronted honeyeater Endemic birds of Australia white-fronted honeyeater Taxonomy articles created by Polbot