Pale brown above, whitish below, with distinct pale supercilium, red-brown rump, small white patch at the base of primaries, fine dark chest streaking, and long, cocked tail.
NT: Vulnerable
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Chestnut-Tailed Ground-Wren, Scrub-Warbler, Ground-Wren, Red-Rumped Scrub-Warbler, Heath Wren, Chestnut-Rumped Ground-Wren
At a glance
FamilyThornbills and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatIt is endemic to temperate and subtropical forests and heathlands of Australia .
Best timeReported across most months in New South Wales, with no narrow seasonal peak.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Zebedee Muller
Range map
Range map
613visible hotspots
6290visible records
3states
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
Compare Shy Heathwren, which has a white wing spot, more black in wing, and darker legs.
Behavior
Forages quietly on the ground or in thick vegetation, where difficult to see.
Gallery
Regional timing
New South Wales
Victoria
South Australia
Australian Capital Territory
Queensland
Commonly confused with
RockwarblerOrigma solitariaThis species hops around on rocky boulders and cliffs, flicking its tail from side to side.→Shy HeathwrenHylacola cautaForages quietly on the ground. Compare Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, which has a smaller pale wing spot, no black in wing, and paler legs. Despite the name, this species is not particularly shy.→Yellow-throated ScrubwrenNeosericornis citreogularisSmall rainforest bird with yellow throat patch. Primarily olive brown with yellow edges to the primaries. Has a dark face with a pale streak above the eye. Inhabits rainforest habitats on the east coast of Australia.→