New Holland Honeyeaters breeding

One of my readers left the following comments and question on a post from last year about New Holland Honeyeaters:

We’ve been watching a pair of New Holland Honeyeaters building their nest in an ornamental tree in our courtyard in Kensington (SA). Really been lovely to watch them.
Do they stay together as mates?

That is a very good question Tony. It is one I hadn’t given all that much thought to, so I had to do my research.

Leave them in peace:

It is indeed a great delight to watch birds nesting and as they go about feeding the young. The urge to breed is very strong and they will tolerate people going about their daily lives only metres away. If you have birds nesting in your garden, try not to disturb them too much.

Breeding behaviour:

The pair that have mated and built the nest will generally feed the young together. In some bird species only the female sits on the eggs and feeds the young while the male defends the territory (for example, Australian Magpies). In other species the whole thing is a cooperative affair. With the Australian Fairy-wrens for example, the whole extended family will build the nest and feed the young.

Monogamous pairs:

As far as New Holland Honeyeaters are concerned they tend to breed in monogamous pairs; they stay together as mates for the entire breeding cycle. They will often breed several times in a season. If still alive the next breeding season they will also bond together again as a pair.

Again, my thanks to Tony for a great question.

Further reading:

• Great Birding Moments: New Holland Honeyeater
• Great Birding Moments - more good reading.

New Holland Honeyeater