During the breeding season a pair will defend a territory, but at other times they are found in groups of around individuals.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilyQuail-thrushes and Jewel-babblers
SizeSmall
RarityRare
HabitatDuring the breeding season a pair will defend a territory, but at other times they are found in groups of around individuals.
Best timeMost reliable in South Australia from April.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Joshua Bergmark
Range map
Range map
71approx hotspots
634approx 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
Female has buff chin and moustache, white belly, and pale gray chest, male a white moustache, black throat patch that connects to thick black breast band (forming an upside-down
Behavior
Forages while walking and running across open ground, turning stones and litter for seeds and small invertebrates before retreating beneath shrubs when alarmed.
Gallery
Regional timing
South Australia
Western Australia
Commonly confused with
Copperback Quail-thrushCinclosoma clarumFemale has white belly and gray chest, male white belly, gray flanks, and black chest and throat. Note gray sides rather than warm brown sides of Cinnamon and Nullarbor quail-thrushes. Usually seen walking around in areas of open woodland and shrubland.→Cinnamon Quail-thrushCinclosoma cinnamomeumFemale has buff chin and moustache, white belly, and pale gray chest, male a white moustache, black throat patch, pale brown sides, and white center of chest, with thin black breast band above white belly. Usually seen walking around in open shrubland in stony country. Note that male Copperback Quail-thrush has black chest, and Nullarbor Quail-thrush has solid black chest band connected to the throat patch.→Chestnut Quail-thrushCinclosoma castanotumNote gray sides rather than warm brown sides of Cinnamon and Chestnut-breasted quail-thrushes. Usually seen walking around in areas of open mallee woodland and shrubland.→