The
spiny-cheeked honeyeater (
Acanthagenys rufogularis) is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae, the
honeyeaters, and the only species in the
monotypic genus
Acanthagenys. It is large for a honeyeater, ranging from 22 to 27 centimetres (8.7 to 10.6 in) in length and weighing around 52 grams (1.8 oz). A common species throughout most of Australia, the birds are sociable and aggressive, and often observed
foraging in large flocks. This spiny-cheeked honeyeater was photographed near
Patchewollock in the Australian state of
Victoria.
Photograph credit: John Harrison