Brown Thornbill
Acanthiza pusilla
Silhouette: Matt Wilkins (photo by Patrick Kavanagh) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyAcanthizidae (Thornbills and Allies)
- GenusAcanthiza (Australasian Thornbills)
- SpeciesAcanthiza pusilla (Brown Thornbill)
About the Brown Thornbill
The brown thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla) is a passerine bird usually found in eastern and south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It can grow up to 10 cm (3.9 in) long, and feeds on insects. It is brown, grey and white. The species has five subspecies.
The brown thornbill is a member of the order Passeriformes, the family Acanthizidae, and the genus Acanthiza. It also has five subspecies: Acanthiza pusilla pusilla, A. p. diemenensis, A. p. zietzi, A. p. archibaldi, and A. p. dawsonensis. The species was first described by George Shaw in 1790. The nominate subspecies A. p. pusilla was described by Shaw in 1790 and the subspecies A. p. diemenensis was first described by John Gould in 1838. A. p. zietzi was described by Alfred John North in 1904, A. p. dawsonensis was described by Archibald George Campbell in 1922, and A. p. archibaldi was described by Gregory Mathews in 1910.
The generic name Acanthiza derives from Ancient Greek akantheōn 'thorn-brake' and zaō 'to live, inhabit'. The specific epithet derives from Latin pusillus 'very small'. A 2017 genetic study using both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA found the ancestor of the brown thornbill diverged from that of... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Brown Thornbill in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
Tasmanian Thornbill
Acanthiza ewingii
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
Tasmanian Scrubwren
Sericornis humilis
Scrubtit
Acanthornis magna
Striated Fieldwren
Calamanthus fuliginosus
Black Currawong
Strepera fuliginosa
Crescent Honeyeater
Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus
Yellow Wattlebird
Anthochaera paradoxa
Yellow-throated Honeyeater
Nesoptilotis flavicollis
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
Pink Robin
Petroica rodinogaster
Grey Fantail
Rhipidura albiscapa
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Flinders Chase | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Brown Thornbill in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Thornbill sighting in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, based on 109 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Brown Thornbill in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Brown Thornbill in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in our monthly data.