Dusky Honeyeater

The small, brown Dusky Honeyeater, Myzomela obscura, is a common resident of New Guinea, the Moluccas, the islands of Torres Strait, and northern 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.

Around 12 to 15 cm long, Dusky Honeyeaters 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 Honeyeaters 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 small, neat cup nest is usually constructed with fine bark, spiderwebs, and leaves on a well-hidden branch high over water. The two white eggs have fine reddish spots.