I might have known that Lindsay, as our Tasmanian authority would have one of those in his pocket.
This is one of this chatline’s recurrent topics, and I have commented on it elsewhere. The field guides are little use.
In my view the differences between the two subspecies can be elusive in the field. Jamie Mathew’s gave the best account based on available specimens, noting the overlap in relevant features when individuals were compared. See HANZAB Vol 7 (B) p1784.
I have photographed hundreds of these in an attempt to capture the difference in a useful way. So much depends on state of the plumage (and possibly age and sex) and the attitude and the light. Moreover the current fashion of over-editing images can easily turn one subspecies into another. Often the features said to be determinative point in different directions on the one bird.
In the below the first two snaps are of the same bird. I have edited them so the first shows the characters attributed to westernensis and the second shows the characters attributed to lateralis. Snaps 3 and 4 are of a bird photographed locally which stood out from the westernensis around about. It has not been edited as to colour. I take it to be lateralis. Note the relatively sharp demarcation on the underparts in the second snap.
Those are just my thoughts. I would be very interested if anyone can take it further.
From: Lindsay Hansch [
Sent: Friday, 22 April 2011 9:28 AM
To: 'Peter Ormay'; COG-L
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] {Spam?} Re: [canberrabirds] Honey-eaters galore
