Bird Guide

Brown Thornbill vs Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)

Brown Thornbill

Acanthiza pusilla

Tiny8 gShrubland

The brown thornbill is warm brown to olive-brown above, with flanks of olive-buff to yellowish white. It has buff scallops on the forehead and large dark red eyes. There are blackish streaks on a grey throat and breast, a tawny rump and tail base, and a black subterminal band with paler tips on the tail. The brown thornbill ranges in size from 9 to 10 cm (3.5 to 3.9 in), making it relatively small. It typically weighs 7 g (0.25 oz). Voice: Brown thornbills are skilled mimics and also respond to humans imitating their calls. The calls have been described as "rich, musical warble". Their calls vary from a mellow baritone pee-orr, high whistles with rapid cascading trills, to many squeaks and churrs.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: James Ray · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: patrickkavanagh · CC BY 2.0
Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Acanthiza chrysorrhoa

Tiny9 gWoodland

The yellow-rumped thornbill is the largest species of thornbill, 9.5–12 cm (3.7–4.7 in) long and weighing 9 g (0.32 oz). It has a short tail and a long slender bill. The species has a distinctive yellow rump, a black forehead with white spots, grey head and neck, a white line above the eye and white throat. The belly is white with light buff below the wings. The wings are grey and the tail is black. The plumage varies somewhat, depending on subspecies. Voice: The yellow-rumped thornbill has a distinctive song described as "twittering, musical, sweet, high-pitched". The species is also reported to be an accomplished mimic of other birds, in particular mimicking the alarm calls of the noisy miner.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Duncan McCaskill · CC BY 3.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Brown Thornbill and Yellow-rumped Thornbill.