Spinebill
Genus of birds
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spinebill is the name given to two members of the honeyeater family, both in the genus Acanthorhynchus, which is Latin for "spine bill". They are around 15 centimetres in length, and are coloured black, white and chestnut, with a long, downcurved bill. They are native to Australia, with one species in the east and one in the west. They feed on nectar as well as insects, and live mainly in forests, gardens, and other shrubbery habitats.
| Spinebill | |
|---|---|
| |
| Eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Meliphagidae |
| Genus: | Acanthorhynchus Gould, 1837[1] |
| Type species | |
| Certhia tenuirostris[2] Latham, 1801 | |
| Species | |
A 2004 molecular study has shown that the two spinebills are a sister grouping to all other honeyeaters, that is, they diverged earlier than all other species.[3]
Species and distribution
The genus contains two species.[4]
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western spinebill
Male
|
Acanthorhynchus superciliosus Gould, 1837 |
south-western Australia | Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
| Eastern spinebill
Male
|
Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris (Latham, 1801) |
North Queensland south through New South Wales, eastern South Australia as well as throughout Tasmania | Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
