Editing Regent honeyeater

{{Short description|Critically endangered Australian species of bird}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Regent honeyeater
| image = Regent honeyeater.jpg
| status = CR
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=''Anthochaera phrygia'' |volume=2018 |page=e.T22704415A130992272 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22704415A130992272.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Anthochaera
| species = phrygia
| authority = ([[George Shaw (biologist)|Shaw]], 1794)
| range_map = Regent_Honeyeater_Distribution.jpg
| range_map_caption = Distribution of the regent honeyeater, see file for more details.
| synonyms = * ''Xanthomyza phrygia''
}}

The '''regent honeyeater''' ('''''Anthochaera phrygia''''') is a [[critically endangered]] [[bird]] endemic to southeastern Australia. It is commonly considered a [[flagship species]] within its range, with the efforts going into its conservation having positive effects on many other species that share its habitat. Recent genetic research suggests it is closely related to the [[wattlebird]]s.

==Taxonomy==
First described by the English naturalist [[George Shaw (biologist)|George Shaw]] in 1794, the regent honeyeater was moved to ''[[Anthochaera]]'' in 1827 by the naturalists [[Nicholas Aylward Vigors]] and [[Thomas Horsfield]].{{sfn|Vigors|Horsfield|1827|pp=[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/778569 320-321]}} It was known as ''Xanthomyza phrygia'' (Zanthomiza by Gregory Mathews<ref>			https://anet.be/record/opacanet/c:lvd:6878811/N
</ref>)for many years, the genus erected by [[William Swainson]] in 1837. DNA analysis shows that its ancestry is in fact nested within the wattlebird genus ''[[Anthochaera]]''. The ancestor of the regent honeyeater split from a lineage that gave rise to the [[red wattlebird|red]] and [[yellow wattlebird]]s. The little and western wattlebirds arose from another lineage that diverged earlier.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Driskell, Amy C.|author2=Christidis, Les|author2-link=Leslie Christidis|year=2004|title=Phylogeny and Evolution of the Australo-Papuan Honeyeaters (Passeriformes, Meliphagidae)|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|pmid=15120392|volume=31|issue=3|pages=943–60|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2003.10.017}}</ref>
The generic name ''Anthochaera'' derives from the Ancient Greek ''anthos'' 'flower, bloom' and ''khairō'' 'enjoy'; the specific epithet ''phrygia'' derives from Latin ''phrygius'', referring to the people of [[Phrygia]] who were skilled in embroidery with gold.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling|title=Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird-names|last=Jobling|first=James A.|year=2010|access-date = 2020-04-24}}</ref>

== Description ==
The neck and head are glossy black. The breast is covered with contrasting pale yellow speckles, and the feathers in the tail and wings are black and bright yellow.

=== Diet ===
It feeds primarily on nectar from eucalyptus and mistletoe species, and to a lesser extent on insects and their honeydew. It also feeds on both native and cultivated fruit.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/regent-honeyeater|title=BirdLife Australia:Regent Honeyeater |website=birdlife.org.au|language=en|access-date=2019-08-16}}</ref>

=== Breeding ===
Breeding mostly occurs from August to January, during the southern spring and summer. The breeding season appears to correspond with the flowering of key eucalyptus and mistletoe species. Two or three eggs are laid in a cup-shaped nest.<ref name=":0" /> Nest success, and productivity of successful nests, has been found to be low in this species, with nest surveillance revealing high predation by a range of bird and arboreal mammal species. There is also a male bias to the adult sex ratio, with an estimated 1.18 males per female.<ref>{{cite journal | author1= Crates, R. |author2= Rayner, L. | author3= Stojanovic, D. | author4= Webb, M. | author5= Terauds, A. |author6= Heinsohn, R.  | year=2019 | title=  Contemporary breeding biology of critically endangered Regent Honeyeaters: implications for conservation | journal=Ibis| volume=161| pages = 521–532 | doi= 10.1111/ibi.12659| issue=3|s2cid= 92044024 }}</ref>

==Distribution==
[[File:Regent Honeyeater 4.jpg|thumb|Regent honeyeater]]
[[File: Regenthoneyeater.JPG|thumb|Regent honeyeater at Adelaide Zoo, South Australia]]

The regent honeyeater was once common in [[Woodland|wooded]] areas of eastern Australia, especially along the inland slopes of the [[Great Dividing Range]]. It once could be found as far west as [[Adelaide]], but is now gone from [[South Australia]] and western [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]].<ref name="Siossian">{{cite news |last1=Siossian |first1=Emma |title=Conservationists push to save critically endangered regent honeyeater's only known breeding site from development |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-29/push-to-protect-critically-endangered-regent-honeyeaters/10934296 |access-date=30 March 2019 |work=ABC Mid North Coast |date=28 March 2019}}</ref> {{as of|June 2020}} their range covers from north-east Victoria up to around the [[Sunshine Coast, Queensland]],<ref name=release/> but the population is now scattered. Most sightings are from a few sites in north-eastern Victoria, along the western slopes of the [[Great Dividing Range]] in New South Wales and the central coast of New South Wales.<ref name=datazone>{{cite web|url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/regent-honeyeater-anthochaera-phrygia/text|title=Regent Honeyeater Anthochaera phrygia|website=Birdlife International - Datazone|date=2020}}</ref>  In 1999 the three main breeding areas were the [[Bundarra-Barraba Important Bird Area|Bundarra-Barraba area]] and [[Capertee Valley]] of [[New South Wales]], and north-eastern [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]].<ref name=iba>{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/recovery-plans/regent-honeyeater-xanthomyza-phrygia-recovery-plan-1999-2003#12 |title=Regent Honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia) Recovery Plan 1999-2003 |author1=Menkhorst, Peter |author2=Schedvin, Natasha |author3=Geering, David |name-list-style=amp |publisher=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australia |date=May 1999 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161108112012/http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/recovery-plans/regent-honeyeater-xanthomyza-phrygia-recovery-plan-1999-2003%2312#12 |archive-date=2016-11-08 |access-date=2016-11-08 }}</ref>

Most of these breeding sites were affected by the devastating [[2019–20 Australian bushfire season|2019–2020 Australian bushfires]], which will likely have a very negative effect on the already-small wild population.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/bushfires-update-message-birdlife-australia|title=Bushfires update: a message from BirdLife Australia|author=BirdLife International| website=BirdLife|access-date=2020-01-18}}</ref>

===Important Bird Areas===
[[BirdLife International]] identified the following sites as being [[Important Bird Area|important]] for regent honeyeaters in 2011:<ref name=bli>BirdLife International (2011). [[Important Bird Area]]s. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2012-01-02.</ref>

; Queensland
* [[Traprock Important Bird Area|Traprock]]

; New South Wales
* [[Brisbane Water]]
* [[Bundarra-Barraba Important Bird Area|Bundarra-Barraba]]
* [[Capertee Valley]]
* [[Greater Blue Mountains Area|Greater Blue Mountains]]
* [[Hastings-Macleay Important Bird Area|Hastings-Macleay]]
* [[Hunter Valley Important Bird Area|Hunter Valley]]
* [[Lake Macquarie (New South Wales)|Lake Macquarie]]
* [[Mudgee-Wollar Important Bird Area|Mudgee-Wollar]]
* [[Richmond Woodlands Important Bird Area|Richmond Woodlands]]
* [[Tuggerah Lakes|Tuggerah]]

; Victoria
* [[Warby-Chiltern Box-Ironbark Region]]

In July and August 2018, pairs of birds were seen at three sites in south-eastern [[Queensland]]. A spokesman for [[BirdLife Australia]] said this was indicative of the current drought conditions in northern New South Wales placing pressure on the birds to find more favourable food sources.<ref name="2018-08-08_ABC">[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-08/rare-regent-honeyeater-spotted-in-queensland-by-birdwatchers/10088826  Regent honeyeater 'one step from extinction' sighted in Queensland], Shelley Lloyd, [[ABC News Online]], 2018-08-08</ref>

==Conservation status==
The regent honeyeater is listed as [[critically endangered]] on the [[IUCN Red List]],<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /> and was listed as endangered under both Australia's ''[[Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999]]'' (EPBC Act)and [[Queensland]]'s ''[[Nature Conservation Act 1992]]''.<ref name=sprat>{{Cite web|url=https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=82338| title=Anthochaera phrygia — Regent Honeyeater|last=Dept of the Environment|first=Commonwealth of Australia| website=www.environment.gov.au|language=en|access-date=2019-08-16}}</ref> The ''Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010'', compiled by researchers from [[Charles Darwin University]], and published in October 2011 by the CSIRO, added the regent honeyeater to the "critically endangered" list, giving habitat loss as the major threat.<ref name=CSIRO>{{Cite book| last = Garnett | first = Stephen |author2=Szabo, Judit |author3=Dutson, Guy | title = The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010 | publisher = CSIRO| year = 2011| location = Collingwood, Vic| isbn =978-0-643-10368-9}}</ref>

The bird was upgraded from endangered to critically endangered nationally (under the EPBC Act) on 9 July 2015. Each state has applied its own rating to the bird under state legislation, varying from "threatened" (Victoria) to "critically endangered" (NSW).<ref name=birdlifemain>{{cite web | title=Regent Honeyeater | website=BirdLife | url=http://www.birdlife.org.au/projects/woodland-birds-for-biodiversity/regent-honeyeater-wl | access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref><ref name=sprat/>

The Commonwealth Department of the Environment formulated a National Recovery Plan for the regent honeyeater in April 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/286c0b52-815e-4a6c-9d55-8498c174a057/files/national-recovery-plan-regent-honeyeater.pdf| title=National Recovery Plan for the Regent Honeyeater (Anthochaera phrygia)|date=April 2016|website=Department of the Environment|access-date=16 August 2019}}</ref> The 2019-2020 fires would likely push the species closer to extinction, with only about 250 of the species left in the wild at that time.<ref name=":1"/>

A 2018 study ranked it seventh in a list of Australian birds most likely to go extinct.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Geyle | first1=Hayley M. | last2=Woinarski | first2=John C. Z. | last3=Baker | first3=G. Barry | last4=Dickman | first4=Chris R. | last5=Dutson | first5=Guy | last6=Fisher | first6=Diana O. | last7=Ford | first7=Hugh | last8=Holdsworth | first8=Mark | last9=Jones | first9=Menna E. | last10=Kutt | first10=Alex | last11=Legge | first11=Sarah | last12=Leiper | first12=Ian | last13=Loyn | first13=Richard | last14=Murphy | first14=Brett P. | last15=Menkhorst | first15=Peter | last16=Reside | first16=April E. | last17=Ritchie | first17=Euan G. | last18=Roberts | first18=Finley E. | last19=Tingley | first19=Reid | last20=Garnett | first20=Stephen T.|display-authors=2 | title=Quantifying extinction risk and forecasting the number of impending Australian bird and mammal extinctions | journal=[[Pacific Conservation Biology]] | volume=24 | issue=2 | date=20 April 2018 | issn=2204-4604 | doi=10.1071/PC18006 | pages=157–167 | url=https://www.publish.csiro.au/pc/PC18006 | access-date=11 July 2022| doi-access=free | hdl=10536/DRO/DU:30109156 | hdl-access=free }} [https://www.publish.csiro.au/pc/pdf/PC18006 PDF]</ref>

A genetic study published in 2019 used hybridization RAD ([[Restriction site associated DNA markers#hyRAD|hyRAD]]) technique on recent and [[Museomics|museum samples]] from wild birds ranging over a 100-year time frame sampled throughout the historical and contemporary range, and assessing the impact of the decline on recent and current population size, structure and [[genetic diversity]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Crates |first1=Ross |last2=Olah |first2=George |last3=Adamski |first3=Marcin |last4=Aitken |first4=Nicola |last5=Banks |first5=Sam |last6=Ingwersen |first6=Dean |last7=Ranjard |first7=Louis |last8=Rayner |first8=Laura |last9=Stojanovic |first9=Dejan |last10=Suchan |first10=Tomasz |last11=von Takach Dukai |first11=Brenton |last12=Heinsohn |first12=Robert |date=2019 |editor-last=Russello |editor-first=Michael A. |title=Genomic impact of severe population decline in a nomadic songbird |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=14 |issue=10 |pages=e0223953 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0223953 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=6812763 |pmid=31647830 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The museum sampling showed that population structure in regent honeyeaters was historically low, which remains the case despite severe [[Habitat fragmentation|fragmentation]] of their breeding range. Extinction may occur in this nomadic species before a detectable genomic impact of small [[population size]] is realised.

A March 2021 research study warned that the rapid decline in the rare songbird means its young are struggling to learn mating calls as adults disappear, which could further strain conservation efforts and avoid extinction.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-17|title=Endangered Australian songbird 'losing its song'|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-environment/endangered-australian-songbird-losing-its-song-1.5350336|access-date=2021-03-19|website=CTVNews|language=en}}</ref> The complexity of their songs have declined, and 12 per cent of males were found to be singing other species' songs,<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Crates | first1=Ross | last2=Langmore | first2=Naomi | last3=Ranjard | first3=Louis | last4=Stojanovic | first4=Dejan | last5=Rayner | first5=Laura | last6=Ingwersen | first6=Dean | last7=Heinsohn | first7=Robert|display-authors=2 | title=Loss of vocal culture and fitness costs in a critically endangered songbird | journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences | publisher=[[The Royal Society]] | volume=288 | issue=1947 | date=17 March 2021 | issn=0962-8452 | doi=10.1098/rspb.2021.0225 | page=| pmid=33726592 | pmc=8059949 | doi-access=free }}</ref> including the [[currawong]] and [[eastern rosella]]. According to one of the authors of the study, this loss of song can reduce the birds' ability to find a mate, and, if they do, the female is less likely to lay an egg.<ref>{{cite web | title=Regent honeyeaters are so rare that young birds aren't learning their own song |first=Emma |last=Siossian | website=ABC News|publisher =[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] | date=17 March 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-17/regent-honeyeaters-failing-to-learn-song-critical-endangered/13253084 | access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref>

===Conservation efforts===
A [[captive breeding]] program on a private property in the Hunter Valley released 20 birds – 11 female and 9 male – into the wild in June 2020. In 2012, birds had been released in the same area from a [[Taronga Zoo]] breeding program. Much work was being done to ensure that the birds had sources of food, and most of the birds were fitted with tiny [[radio transmitter]]s so that their movements could be tracked. With about 13 wild birds at the site, it was hoped that those released from captivity would breed with the wild ones and increase the population and diversity. This was the first release of regent honeyeaters since a similar event in north-eastern Victoria.<ref name=release>{{cite web | title=Captive-bred regent honeyeaters successfully released in Hunter Valley, giving new hope for critically endangered species | website=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|first=Emma|last=Siossian | date=23 June 2020 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-23/critically-endangered-regent-honeyeaters-released-hunter-valley/12384048 | access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref> In August 2020, one of the banded birds was spotted and photographed at a Hunter Valley home, for the first time since her release two months earlier. Another of the birds was found and led the conservationists to a new flock of wild regent honeyeaters near [[Broke, New South Wales|Broke]], about {{convert|30|km}} from the release site, of which they had not previously been aware.<ref>{{cite web | title=Released captive-bred regent honeyeater leads conservationists to wild Hunter Valley flock |first=Emma |last=Siossian | website=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=22 August 2020 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-23/captive-bred-released-regent-honeyeater-leads-conservationists/12580158 | access-date=23 August 2020}}</ref>

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

===Cited texts===
<!-- http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2008/05/regent_honeyeater.html -->
*{{ cite journal | last1=Vigors | first1=N.A. | author1-link=Nicholas Aylward Vigors | last2=Horsfield  | first2=T. | author2-link=Thomas Horsfield | year=1827 | title=A description of the Australian birds in the collection of the Linnean Society; with an attempt at arranging them according to their natural affinities (Part 1) | journal=Transactions of the Linnean Society of London | volume=15 | issue=1 | pages=170–331 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/778416 | doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.1826.tb00115.x }} The title page of the issue has the year 1826.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Anthochaera phrygia}}
{{Wikispecies|Anthochaera phrygia}}
* [https://ebird.org/media/catalog?taxonCode=reghon1&mediaType=a&q=Regent%20Honeyeater%20-%20Anthochaera%20phrygia Recordings of regent honeyeater] from [[Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology]]'s Macaulay library
* [http://www.graemechapman.com.au/library/sounds.php?c=266&p=435 Recordings of regent honeyeater] from Graeme Chapman's sound library
* [https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Anthochaera-phrygia Recordings of regent honeyeater] from Xeno-canto sound archive

{{Taxonbar|from=Q277355}}

[[Category:Anthochaera|regent honeyeater]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1794|regent honeyeater]]
[[Category:Birds of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Birds of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Endemic birds of Australia]]
[[Category:Endangered fauna of Australia]]
[[Category:EPBC Act endangered biota]]
[[Category:Nature Conservation Act endangered biota]]
[[Category:Taxa named by George Shaw]]