Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Calls & Song

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis)
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis)
Photo credit: Chris Ison / Shutterstock

The Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis) is a common species of honeyeater found across most of the Australian mainland. Favouring drier habitats, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters can be found in arid shrubland, open woodland, mulga, heath, mallee and even in parks and gardens of outback Australian towns.

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater songs usually consist of gurgling, chortling sounds along with melodic reedy whistles. At dawn they tend to make simpler, repetitive whistled phrases. Apart from their songs, they also make soft ‘tok’ calls and unusual chattering & liquid rattling sounds. The calls of the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater are a common sound in many drier woodlands and semi-arid regions of Australia.

Listen to Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Sounds

The audio in the video below features the song of a Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater at dawn. In the background are the calls of Eastern Yellow Robin, White-plumed Honeyeater & a few thumps from an Emu at the start and end of the recording. Recorded in Pilliga State Forest, New South Wales, Australia.

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Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater – Typical song


XC600047 An example of the typical melodic song. These songs are quite variable. This sample was recorded near White Cliffs, New South Wales.

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Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater – Simple repetitive whistle song


XC681677 This is the commonly-heard simple whistled song phrase, often given at dawn. recorded in Paroo Darling National Park, New South Wales.

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Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater – Song variation


XC597663 Another commonly-heard song variation, the churry, whistled phrase. Recorded in Paroo Darling National Park, New South Wales.

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Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater – ‘Tok’ calls and chortles


XC609588 Soft ‘tok’ calls and some liquid chortling sounds. Recorded in Sturt National Park, New South Wales.

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Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater – Soft churring whistles


XC609590 Soft churring calls, not unlike one of the calls of Pallid Cuckoo. Pied Honeyeater & Masked Woodswallow can also be heard in this cut. Recorded in Sturt National Park, New South Wales.

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