Eastern Spinebill 

The Eastern Spinebill is a common honeyeater in Mountain Ash forests, feeding in the shrub-layer on nectar, but also on insects. During winter, the Mountain Correa is the major food source with spinebills being scarce or absent in areas where there is no correa. Like all honeyeaters, they have brush-tipped tongues which are an adaptation to nectar feeding. There are about 70 - 75 species of honeyeater in Australia. The various species occur in all habitats from alpine regions, rainforests, heathlands through to deserts. DNA based studies indicate that honeyeaters evolved some 40-45 million years ago. It is thought that they arose initially in forests and that as Australia became drier honeyeaters adapted to the newer more arid environments.