Bird Guide

Weebill vs Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris)

Weebill

Smicrornis brevirostris

Tiny5 gWoodland

The weebill is Australia's smallest bird at approximately 8 to 9 cm (3.1 to 3.5 in) long and weighing an average of 6 grams (adult bird). Wingspan is approximately 15 cm (5.9 in). Weebills have inconspicuously coloured plumage ranging from yellowish-grey (front) to olive-brownish-grey (back). The two main feather pigments involved in this variation are yellow (phaeomelanin) and olive-brown (eumelanin). There is geographical variation in plumage across the four subspecies. Adults have pale yellow eyes and a faint cream coloured supercilium.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Aviceda at English Wikipedia (Original text: Tom Tarrant) · CC BY 3.0
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: Weebill and Yellow-rumped Thornbill.