Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Acanthagenys rufogularis
LCLeast Concern Endemic to Australia
- Family
- Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The spiny-cheeked honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis) is the only species in the genus Acanthagenys. It is large for a honeyeater, ranging from 22 to 27 centimeters (8.7 to 10.6 inches) tall and weighing around 52 grams. The birds are sociable, aggressive, and often observed foraging in large flocks.
The spiny-cheeked honeyeater is mainly frugivorous, but will also eat nectar, blossoms, insects, reptiles, and young birds.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Australia (excluding tropical north, moist east, southeast, and southwest, and Tasmania but including Melbourne).
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Spiny-cheeked honeyeater
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
