Tawny Grassbird

The tawny grassbird is a medium sized grassbird with a wingspan of 56-69mm, a stout bill 14-17mmand weighs around 13-25g. The bird has an unstreaked rufous (rich brown) cap, obvious rufous fringes to flight feathers on the folded wing and wholly unstreaked underparts. It also has a long drooping tail and rufous rump. The male has a varied song given in both display flights and from exposed perches. The males sing mostly in spring and summer. The tawny grassbird is distinguished from the related little grassbird by its larger size, stouter bill, more rufous plumage and longer tail. Voice: The Slater Field Guide notes the voice is a rich ch-ch-ch-zzzzzzt lik lik: loud see-lick: high-pitched descending trill. In flight, it has "metallic chuck chuck chuck." The Australian Bird Guide describes displaying males with a "delightful varied song, given both in display flights and from exposed perches. Its alarm call is a repeated "harsh tjik or jk-jk".