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Very small, with a distinctive short, rounded tail with conspicuous spots at the tip.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyCisticolas and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityUncommon
HabitatGrassland, Herbaceous Graminoids Open Tussock Grasses, Open woodland, Sparse woodland, and Waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in Northern Territory from September to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Frank Lambert
Range map
Range map
141visible hotspots
1603visible records
4states
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
Body sandy-colored below, streaky above. Breeding males have a dark bill and crown. Song varies across wide distribution, ranging from evenly-paced squeaky “tsik, tsik” of African and European birds to the fast dry ticking of Southeast Asian birds.
Behavior
Found in open grasslands, meadows, marshes, and agricultural areas. Most readily detected by its repetitive and monotonous song, given from either a perch or in an undulating song flight.
Gallery