WA: Rare
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilyThornbills and Allies
SizeTiny
RarityRare
HabitatSmall bird with stubby bill, found in open shrubland in stony country of arid northeastern South Australia.
Best timeMost reliable in South Australia from July to October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Mark Carter
Range map
Range map
65approx hotspots
737approx records
2states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
It is endemic to Australia . Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
Behavior
Call is a steady warbling twitter.
Gallery
Regional timing
South Australia
Northern Territory
Commonly confused with
Banded WhitefaceAphelocephala nigricinctaIt is endemic to dryer regions of Australia . The ornithologist Alfred John North described the banded whiteface as Xerophila nigricincta in 1895, from specimens collected at Missionary Plains, Northern Territory.→Slaty-backed ThornbillAcanthiza robustirostrisBrownish gray above, cream-colored below, with dark eye, dark streaking on forecrown, pale lores, pale-tipped dark tail, and chestnut rump, often visible in flight. Distinguished from juvenile Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (which also has dark eyes) by noting the dark streaks on Slaty-backed’s forehead.→Rufous FieldwrenCalamanthus campestrisSmall bird of open arid shrubland and grasslands. Pale brown above, whitish below, with distinct pale supercilium, faint chest streaking, and long, cocked tail. Similar to Western Fieldwren but no range overlap. Compare Shy Heathwren, which has a white wing spot and darker legs.→