Gray-brown above, paler below.
VIC: Vulnerable; NT: Endangered
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Red-Throated Scrubwren
At a glance
FamilyThornbills and Allies
SizeTiny
RarityCommon
HabitatSmall gray scrubwrenlike bird with a fine bill, usually observed in shrubland, including mulga woodlands.
Best timeMost reliable in Western Australia from June to October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Louis Masarei
Range map
Range map
2094visible hotspots
13035visible records
5states
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 pale around the face and throat; male has small rusty-red throat patch. Larger than thornbills and rather plump, more like a whiteface. Song a sustained warbling, trilling medley, with buzzing and mimicking mixed in.
Behavior
Usually feeds on or near the ground.
Gallery
Regional timing
Western Australia
South Australia
Queensland
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Victoria
Commonly confused with
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.→Western ThornbillAcanthiza inornataSmall bird with thin pointed bill, found in eucalypt forests and woodlands habitats of southwestern Australia.→Chestnut-rumped ThornbillAcanthiza uropygialisYoung bird has dark eye and can be confused with Slaty-backed Thornbill. Compare Inland Thornbill, which has a heavily streaked chest.→