Bird Guide

Chestnut-rumped Thornbill vs Tasmanian Thornbill

Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza uropygialis)

Chestnut-rumped Thornbill

Acanthiza uropygialis

Tiny6 gWoodland

Length: 9.8 cm (9-11); wing span 15.5 cm (14-16.5); weight: 6 g. Mid-sized thornbill similar in size and shape to inland thornbill (A. apicalis) and slaty-backed thornbill (A. robustirostris). Pale and plain with pale iris similar to buff-rumped (Acanthiza reguloides), western (A.inornata), slender-billed (A. iredalei) and yellow-rumped thornbills (A. chrysorrhoa). Pale grey-brown upper, rich chestnut rump and mostly black tail with pale tips, pale mottled ear-coverts and rufous suffusion on forehead and crown. Plain whitish underbody. The sexes are alike, with no seasonal variation.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Martin Rady · CC BY 4.0
Tasmanian Thornbill (Acanthiza ewingii)

Tasmanian Thornbill

Acanthiza ewingii

Tiny7 gForest

The Tasmanian Thornbill is olive-brown above, darkening toward the back and tail, and can exhibit a patch of reddish-brown colouration on the forehead. The wings are dark grey with olive-brown edge lining. Grey on light grey scalloping is present from the chin to breast, with similar scalloping occurring on the sides of the head. The bill, feet, and legs are all dark grey and the eyes are distinctly large and dark, with red irises. It's long, thin, thorn-shaped beak is a distinguishing characteristic of the Acanthiza (thornbill) family. Voice: The Tasmanian Thornbill has the warbling style of call that is characteristically attributed to the Acanthizidae (Australian warbler) family, and its main call has been described phonetically as a zit zit zit sound.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Pierre Cartier · CC0

Where you might meet both

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