Melipotes fumigatus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Corvida
Superfamilia: Meliphagoidea

Familia: Meliphagidae
Genus: Melipotes
Species: Melipotes fumigatus

Subspecies: M. f. fumigatus - M. f. goliathi - M. f. kumawa
Name

Melipotes fumigatus A.B. Meyer, 1886
Vernacular names
References

Zeitschrift Für Die Gesammte Ornithologie. 3 p. 22 pl.4 fig.1

The common smoky honeyeater (Melipotes fumigatus) is a medium-sized bird found in central Papua New Guinea and Eastern Indonesia. It is one of four species in the Meliphagidae family. The common smoky honeyeater can be identified by its charcoal-colored body and blotchy neon orange circle around its eyes.[1] This bird breeds in September and October, which are considered dry seasons. Its diet consists of small fruits, insects, and floral plants. This bird breeds in September and early October above ground or next to a tree branch.
Common smoky honeyeater
Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Meliphagidae
Genus: Melipotes
Species: M. fumigatus
Binomial name
Melipotes fumigatus
Meyer, AB, 1886
Description

The common smoky honeyeater has a bright orange splotch around both eyes. The bird's upper wing has brown tips, olive-colored edges, and a lighter shade of brown on the base of its wings. This bird has a brown and black base. The common smoky honeyeater has a brown belly with white crescent-shaped scaling and gray and brown legs.[1] The best way to differentiate between males and females is to look at their size because male common smoky honeyeaters tend to be bigger than females. [3]
Habitat

Its habitat is in Southeast Asia, specifically in Eastern Indonesia and Central Papua New Guinea.[4] It soars at altitudes around 1,400 to 3,400 meters. However, the females and males tend to live at different altitude levels. The females live much higher in the mountains, at around 2,160 to 2,490 meters. The males typically live anywhere between 1,830 and 2,160 meters.[1] During the common smoky honeyeater's migration season, they descend to the mountains of Papua New Guinea, anywhere from 750 to 1,200 meters in altitude.[4]
Vocalization

The common smoky honeyeater makes a "sit-sit-sit" or a faint "swift-swift-swift" sound. When it is near the young, it makes a "wheat-wheat-wheat" to alarm other common smoky honeyeaters. [1]
Diet and foraging

The common smoky honeyeater primarily eats raw fruit and fruit-like produce, but they have been observed eating various insects and floral parts.[3] Despite its name, nectar is not a part of its diet because the common smoky honeyeater only eats fruit, insects, and floral plants. This bird consumes fruits that are typically 2 to 8 millimeters in diameter. Common smoky honeyeaters peck at flowers that attract insects as a method to find food.[1] This bird strikes on insects by rushing at insects with its nose down. The common smoky honeyeater is also known for driving other species away from its feeding sites. It does this by chasing away other birds, such as the Superb Bird-of-Paradise.[3]
Breeding

The common smoky honeyeater breeds above ground or near the end of a branch off a small tree. Their breeding season aligns with New Guinea's dry season, which is in September and early October.[1] Its nest consists mainly of moss and other plant material. One nest was observed to be 14 centimeters wide and 14 centimeters deep. Typically, their nests are 4.5 to 12 meters above ground.
See also

List of birds of Papua New Guinea

References

Higgins, Peter J.; Christidis, Les; Ford, Hugh (2020). "Smoky Honeyeater (Melipotes fumigatus), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.smohon1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
BirdLife International (2016). "Melipotes fumigatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T103688019A93961966. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103688019A93961966.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
"Smoky Honeyeater - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
"Smoky Honeyeater".