Inland thornbill

Inland thornbill
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Acanthizidae
Genus: Acanthiza
Species: A. apicalis
Binomial name
Acanthiza apicalis
Gould, 1847
Subspecies

Acanthiza apicalis apicalis
Acanthiza apicalis albiventris
Acanthiza apicalis cinerascens
Acanthiza apicalis whitlocki

The inland thornbill (Acanthiza apicalis), 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.[2] The inland thornbill encompasses four subspecies:[3]

The thornbill ranges in size from 9 to 11 centimetres, averaging 10 centimetres and 7 grams.[4] 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.[4]

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.[4]

The thornbill can be found throughout Australia inland of the Great Dividing Range, but not in tropical northern climates or in Tasmania.[2] The inland thornbill overlaps in range with the brown thornbill along the Great Dividing Range, leading to numerous mis-sightings.[4] Inland thornbills live in dry scrublands and woodlands. In Southwestern Australia, they also inhabit sand heaths and karri and jarrah forests.[4] It feeds on small insects and spiders, and occasionally seeds and small vegetable matter, beneath shrubs and in foliage.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Acanthiza apicalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 Oz Birds: Inland Thornbill. 2006. Accessible via
  3. Taxonomy Question
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Birds in Backyards: Inland Thornbill Factsheet. Australian Museum. 2006. Accessible via:
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/8/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.