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Distinctive long-tailed, chestnut-and-black bird with a stark white throat, found only in the western Arnhem Plateau of Northern Territory, in areas with large spinifex clumps around large sandstone boulders.
Vulnerable
Endemic to Australia
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 July.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Joshua Bergmark
Range map
Range map
23visible hotspots
112visible records
1states
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
Frequent burning of these areas has made this species very hard to find, and it is no longer reliably seen in accessible locations.
Behavior
Forages actively on the ground in pairs or small groups, running away into crevices when alarmed.
Gallery