The
grey-headed honeyeater (
Ptilotula keartlandi) is a species of bird in the
honeyeater family, Meliphagidae. It is
endemic to Australia, where it has an extensive range covering much of the central arid and semi-arid areas of the continent. It mostly frequents
eucalyptus scrub and woodlands in stony hill country and timbered gullies within ranges, but has also been observed on sand-plains with flowering vegetation,
mulga and
mallee woodlands, riverine areas and occasionally in
Mitchell grasslands. The grey-headed honeyeater is thought to be largely sedentary, but undertakes nomadic movements in response to flowering events. The bird is relatively small for a honeyeater, with a total body length of
13–16.5 cm (5.1–6.5 in) and a mass of 12–18 g (0.4–0.6 oz). Adults have a distinctive grey crown above a black facial mask with the nape and remaining upper body parts coloured dark fawn-grey, with light olive-yellow breast, belly, flanks, and throat streaked with brown, a light-grey brown rump and a short black bill. It feeds on invertebrates as well as insects on the wing and, like many honeyeaters, it consumes nectar from flowering trees. This grey-headed honeyeater was photographed in
Watarrka National Park in Australia's Northern Territory.
Photograph credit: JJ Harrison
