Bird Guide

Striated Thornbill vs Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Striated Thornbill (Acanthiza lineata)

Striated Thornbill

Acanthiza lineata

Tiny7 gForest

The adult striated thornbill is 9–10 centimetres (3.5–3.9 in) long and weighs around 7 grams (0.25 oz). It has a russet- or orange-brown crown with cream streaks, dull yellow-olive upperparts, olive-grey flanks, and cream underparts heavily streaked with black. The brown thornbill (A. pusilla) is similar but lacks the white-streaked orange-brown cap and lives in shrubs.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Striated Thornbill
Recorded by James Ray · Call · Faulconbridge, Blue Mountains City Council, New South Wales, Australia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · 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: Striated Thornbill and Yellow-rumped Thornbill.