Pilotbird
Pycnoptilus floccosus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyAcanthizidae (Thornbills and Allies)
- GenusPycnoptilus
- SpeciesPycnoptilus floccosus (Pilotbird)
About the Pilotbird
The pilotbird (Pycnoptilus floccosus) is a species of passerine bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is monotypic within the genus Pycnoptilus. The species is endemic to south-eastern Australia. The species was first described by English ornithologist John Gould in 1851. The generic name Pycnoptilus derives from the Ancient Greek pyknos 'thick' and ptilon 'feather'. Its specific epithet floccosus is Late Latin for 'flocked with wool'. There are two subspecies: the nominate subspecies Pycnoptilus floccosus floccosus lives in alpine areas; and P. f. sandfordi lives in lowland forest.
The pilotbird is a large, plump species of acanthizid, measuring around 18 centimetres (7.1 in) in length and weighing 27 grams (0.95 oz). The plumage of the underparts is reddish-brown with scalloping on the chest and the centre of the belly speckled dull white. The upperparts are chocolate-brown.
The bill is short and finely pointed. Its tail is broad and semi-erect, and flicked up and down when feeding. The pilotbird is found from the Wollemi National Park and Blue Mountains National Park in New South Wales through to the Dandenong Ranges... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Pilotbird in Blue Mountains National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Blue Mountains National Park
Brown Thornbill
Acanthiza pusilla
White-browed Scrubwren
Sericornis frontalis
Striated Thornbill
Acanthiza lineata
Yellow Thornbill
Acanthiza nana
Brown Gerygone
Gerygone mouki
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
Rockwarbler
Origma solitaria
White-throated Gerygone
Gerygone olivacea
Yellow-Throated Scrubwren
Sericornis citreogularis
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Acanthiza reguloides
Large-billed Scrubwren
Sericornis magnirostra
Calamanthus pyrrhopygius
Calamanthus pyrrhopygius
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Pilotbird in Blue Mountains National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pilotbird sighting in Blue Mountains National Park, based on 244 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pilotbird in Blue Mountains National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Pilotbird in Blue Mountains National Park in our monthly data.