Inland Thornbill
Encyclopedia
The Inland Thornbill commonly called the Broad-tailed Thornbill, is a small, insect-eating bird of Australia. The Inland Thornbill is commonly confused with the coastal Brown Thornbill
(Acanthiza pusilla) due to its similar colorations. The Inland Thornbill encompasses four subspecies :
The thornbill ranges in size from 9 to 11 centimeters, averaging 10 centimeters and 7 grams. The bird has a grey-brown back, a reddish rump, and a dark tail with a white tip. Its underbelly is cream colored with black streaks. Both male and female thornbills look similar, though male birds tend to be a bit larger.
Breeding season lasts from July through December. Female thornbills average three eggs per clutch, which incubate for 19 days. Baby birds leave the nest after 17 days.
The thornbill can be found throughout Australia inland of the Great Dividing Range
, but not in tropical northern climates or in Tasmania
. The Inland Thornbill overlaps in range with the Brown Thornbill along the Great Diving Range, leading to numerous mis-sightings. Inland thornbills live in dry scrublands and woodlands. In Southwestern Australia, they also inhabit sand heaths and karri
and jarrah
forests. It feeds on small insects and spiders, and occasionally seeds and small vegetable matter, beneath shrubs and in foliage.
Brown Thornbill
The Brown Thornbill, Acanthiza pusilla, is a passerine bird usually found in eastern and south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It can grow up to 10 cm long, and feeds on insects....
(Acanthiza pusilla) due to its similar colorations. The Inland Thornbill encompasses four subspecies :
- A. a. apicalis
- A. a. albiventris
- A. a. cinerascens
- A. a. whitlocki
The thornbill ranges in size from 9 to 11 centimeters, averaging 10 centimeters and 7 grams. The bird has a grey-brown back, a reddish rump, and a dark tail with a white tip. Its underbelly is cream colored with black streaks. Both male and female thornbills look similar, though male birds tend to be a bit larger.
Breeding season lasts from July through December. Female thornbills average three eggs per clutch, which incubate for 19 days. Baby birds leave the nest after 17 days.
The thornbill can be found throughout Australia inland of the Great Dividing Range
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
, but not in tropical northern climates or in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. The Inland Thornbill overlaps in range with the Brown Thornbill along the Great Diving Range, leading to numerous mis-sightings. Inland thornbills live in dry scrublands and woodlands. In Southwestern Australia, they also inhabit sand heaths and karri
Karri
Eucalyptus diversicolor, commonly known as the Karri, is a eucalypt which is native to the wetter regions of south west of Western Australia.-Description:...
and jarrah
Jarrah
Eucalyptus marginata is one of the most common species of Eucalyptus tree in the southwest of Western Australia. The tree and the wood are usually referred to by the Aboriginal name Jarrah...
forests. It feeds on small insects and spiders, and occasionally seeds and small vegetable matter, beneath shrubs and in foliage.