I’ve been out west of Sydney, in western New South Wales and South Australia. I’ll be posting a few birds that I spotted along the way!

Just outside the Living Desert State Park near Broken Hill, the melodious whistles of some Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters carried above the chirrups of other birds.

This photo shows the bird’s characteristic pink bill and gape, with a black tip on the bill. Its front is mottled cream and grey with a yellow blush on the chest.

I’ve seen these birds on a previous trip out west, near Mungo Lake, where I managed to get a recording of the birds’ song: Evocative call of the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater.

Common name: Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Scientific name: Acanthagenys rufogularis
Approximate length: 23-26 cm
Date spotted: 21 July 2026 (winter)
Location: Outside the Living Desert State Park near Broken Hill, NSW, Australia: 31°53’12.1″S 141°25’20.5″E