Foraging ecology and habitat selection of the Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, Lichenostomus ornatus, in a Western Australian woodland: implications for conservation

At Dryandra in Western Australia, Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters preferred the m ore productive woodlands dominated by Wandoo, Eucalyptus wandoo, to those o n poorer soils dominated by Powderbark Wandoo, E. accedens. They foraged ma inly by gleaning and probing foliage and bark within the canopy of the larg est trees. Insects were also taken by hawking, hovering, and snatching, but there were significant spatial and seasonal differences in the use of fora ging substrates. Little nectar-feeding was recorded but lerp, manna, and ho neydew obtained from foliage and under bark were likely energy sources. Alt hough the minimum area of habitat required for the conservation of Yellow-p lumed Honeyeaters cannot be specified it probably needs to be large, produc tive, little disturbed and with mature eucalypts to ensure a diversity of f oraging substrates. Access to a source of nectar for at least part of the y ear may also be necessary.