Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
The Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) is a common gerygones, thornbills, scrubwrens, and alli found only in Australia, weighing about 9 g. The yellow-rumped thornbill is a species of passerine bird from the genus Acanthiza.
About the Yellow-rumped Thornbill
The yellow-rumped thornbill is a species of passerine bird from the genus Acanthiza. The genus was once placed in the family Pardalotidae but that family was split and it is now in the family Acanthizidae. There are four subspecies of yellow-rumped thornbill. It is a small, brownish bird with a distinctive yellow rump and thin dark bill. It inhabits savannah, scrub and forests across most of Australia and eats insects. The species engages in cooperative breeding.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Yellow-rumped Thornbill can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Yellow-rumped Thornbill?
- 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). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Yellow-rumped Thornbill?
- The Yellow-rumped Thornbill is a tiny sized bird weighing about 9 g.
- Where can you see a Yellow-rumped Thornbill?
- The Yellow-rumped Thornbill is endemic to Australia, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Yellow-rumped Thornbill?
- The Yellow-rumped Thornbill is most easily confused with the Striated Thornbill, the Yellow Thornbill and the Buff-rumped Thornbill.
- Is the Yellow-rumped Thornbill endangered?
- The Yellow-rumped Thornbill is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Yellow-rumped Thornbill for real
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