Bird guideYellow Thornbill

The yellow thornbill ( Acanthiza nana ), formerly known as the little thornbill, is a tiny passerine bird endemic to the eastern coast of Australia .

⚠️Not listed
🌿Endemic to Australia

At a glance

FamilyThornbills and Allies
SizeTiny
RarityCommon
HabitatMarine and coastal; usually found over open ocean, offshore waters, islands, headlands, and other coastal areas.
Best timeReported across most months in New South Wales, with no narrow seasonal peak.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Richard Boon

Range map

Range map

591visible hotspots
17516visible 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

Upperparts greenish brown, underparts yellow, with heavily streaked cheek patch, dark brown eye, and unpatterned forehead (unlike similar species).

Behavior

Inhabits open forests and woodlands of eastern Australia. Forages for insects mainly in trees and shrubs.

Regional timing

New South Wales
Peak: January to December17,408 records
Queensland
Peak: May to June94 records
Australian Capital Territory
Peak: May to July14 records

Commonly confused with

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