Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Eastern Spinebill

Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris (Latham, 1801)

10 gWeight

The eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) is a species of honeyeater found in eastern Australia from Queensland to Tasmania in forest and woodland areas, as well as gardens in urban areas.

Busiest months: May and July–October · Most records: Australia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Eastern Spinebill has been recorded at 162 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Australian National Botanic GardensAustralia3,428 records
  2. Royal Botanic Gardens MelbourneAustralia3,163 records
  3. Coachwood ParkAustralia3,147 records
More places
  1. O'Reilly's Rainforest RetreatAustralia2,080 records
  2. SpringwoodAustralia2,016 records
  3. Royal ParkAustralia1,843 records
  4. Barren Grounds Nature ReserveAustralia1,348 records
  5. Shepherds BushAustralia1,342 records
  6. Jerrara DamAustralia1,078 records
  7. Banyule Flats ReserveAustralia932 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) is a species of honeyeater found in eastern Australia from Queensland to Tasmania in forest and woodland areas, as well as gardens in urban areas. It is around 15 cm long, and has a distinctive black, white and chestnut plumage, a red eye, and a long downcurved bill.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Eastern Spinebill?

The Eastern Spinebill weighs around 10 g.

Where does the Eastern Spinebill live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: eastern, southeastern Australia and Tasmania. It is most often recorded in Australia.

When is the best time to see the Eastern Spinebill?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May, July, August, September and October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Eastern Spinebill endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Eastern Spinebill as Least Concern.

What does the Eastern Spinebill eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Eastern Spinebill in?

It belongs to the family Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
10 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
66 mm
Tail
57 mm
Bill
27 mm
Tarsus
18 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Australasia: eastern, southeastern Australia and Tasmania

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Honeyeaters Meliphagidae
Genus
Acanthorhynchus

Other birds in the genus Acanthorhynchus

Western SpinebillWestern SpinebillAcanthorhynchus superciliosusDark-eared MyzaDark-eared MyzaMyza celebensisWhite-eared MyzaWhite-eared MyzaMyza sarasinorumGreen-backed HoneyeaterGreen-backed HoneyeaterGlycichaera fallaxSooty HoneyeaterSooty HoneyeaterMelionyx fuscusLong-bearded HoneyeaterLong-bearded HoneyeaterMelionyx princepsShort-bearded HoneyeaterShort-bearded HoneyeaterMelionyx nouhuysiLeaden HoneyeaterLeaden HoneyeaterPtiloprora plumbeaYellowish-streaked HoneyeaterYellowish-streaked HoneyeaterPtiloprora meekianaRufous-sided HoneyeaterRufous-sided HoneyeaterPtiloprora erythropleura
Eastern Spinebill

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by judybarnes. ↗

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