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Inland ThornbillAlternative name: "Broad-tailed Thornbill" Size: 9.5-10.5 cm |
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Habitat |
(for details refer to a field guide) |
There are four races of Inland Thornbills - for details see a field guide. They populate the semi-arid interior of the southern half of the Australian continent, i.e. the entire western half of WA up to the tropic of Capricorn, the north-western and south-eastern quarter of SA plus much of the southern half of the NT, was well as most of inland NSW and subtropical QLD. They are not found in the Simpson Desert, the Nullarbor or the eastern half of WA, not along the south or east coast of the continent and not in the tropics either (with only minor exceptions, e.g. near Mt. Isa, QLD).
Inland Thornbills can be found in low shrubs, heath and mallee in semi-arid environments.
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Sightings |
Our first sighting of an Inland Thornbill (race "albiventris") was in February 2006, near Gunnedah, NSW. In August 2006 seen again 20 km south-west of Narrabri. Spotted regularly in the winter months of 2007 and subsequent years since then, 20 km east of Narrabri.
Nominate race "apicalis", or a mix between different races, was sighted by us in the Flinders Ranges, SA, in March 2008.
Race "whitlocki" was spotted by us in the Gammon Ranges, SA, in March 2008.
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Photos |
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Race "apicalis"
Inland Thornbill drinking water from a leaking storage tank
Race "albiventris"
Frontal view against bright background light, which makes it
a bit hard to see the bird's colours
Frontal view from underneath of an Inland Thornbill; one can see
clearly the striated face, throat and breast
Near-frontal view of an Inland Thornbill; note the dark legs
Lateral view of the same bird as in the photo above
Here a close-up view of a bird's underside
Inland Thornbill seen from behind, giving a clear view of
the deep-brown rump
This photo shows all the characteristic features of an Inland
Thornbill in one go: Striated front, deep-brown rump, red eyes
and dark legs
Inland Thornbill hovering in front of a branch from which it then picked an insect
Not a great photo, but for what it's worth, here a better view of a bird's underside
Male Inland Thornbill courting a female at the end
of winter
The bird above was seen feeding this fledgling; here
a frontal view
Fledgling Inland Thornbill, lateral view
Race "whitlocki"
Frontal view of an Inland Thornbill "whitlocki"
Lateral view of an Inland Thornbill "whitlocki"
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Behaviour |
| Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive | Elementary unit: Family clan |
Inland Thornbills are gregarious birds; although territorial with respect to others of their own species, they are seen by us regularly together with other species of thornbills.
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Food |
Like several other species of the Acanthiza family, Inland Thornbills hunt for small insects in low shrubs and bushes. Seen by us also hunting insects in flight.
Here an Inland Thornbill with its prey, probably a
psyllid
This one looks like it has a lerp in its bill


























