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Usually seen only with a dedicated search.
WA: Rare
At a glance
FamilyFairywrens
SizeTiny
RarityRare
HabitatDense shrubs, grassy margins, scrub, hedgerows, and low cover near open feeding patches.
Best timeMost reliable in Northern Territory from November to December.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Powys, V.
Range map
Range map
50visible hotspots
97visible records
3states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
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
Small, long-tailed bird with black mustache and rufous-brown upperparts, found in the deserts of eastern Western Australia and central Australia, where it scampers between large spinifex clumps in sand dune habitat. Upperparts rufous-brown, with white throat and pale underparts.
Behavior
Formerly considered conspecific with Pilbara Grasswren, and together treated as “Rufous Grasswren”; also formerly lumped with Striated Grasswren.
Gallery