About Melithreptus validirostris (Gould, 1837)
This is a mid-sized honeyeater, measuring 16.5–17.5 cm (6.5–7 in) in length. Its upperparts are olive-brown, and its underparts are pale grey-brown. It has a black head, nape, and throat, a pale blue to off-white patch above the eye, and a white crescent on the nape. Juveniles have brownish crowns, a lemon-tinged nape, and an orange-colored base to the bill. Its call consists of either loud repeated cheeps or a churring sound. The strong-billed honeyeater lives in mature forest with large trees, including Eucalyptus regnans and E. delegatensis. It feeds primarily on insects and various other invertebrates, which it hunts on tree trunks; nectar and fallen fruit make up a supplementary part of its diet. While both the strong-billed honeyeater and the black-headed honeyeater are widespread across Tasmania, the strong-billed honeyeater rarely overlaps in habitat or foraging range with the black-headed honeyeater.
