Brown Thornbill
Acanthiza pusilla
- 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 →
Closest Relatives at Flinders Chase
Striated Thornbill
Acanthiza lineata
Superb Fairywren
Malurus cyaneus
Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis
Grey Fantail
Rhipidura albiscapa
Australian Magpie
Gymnorhina tibicen
Red Wattlebird
Anthochaera carunculata
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
New Holland Honeyeater
Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Scarlet Robin
Petroica boodang
Striated Pardalote
Pardalotus striatus
Australian Raven
Corvus coronoides
Spotted Pardalote
Pardalotus punctatus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
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 Flinders Chase?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Thornbill sighting in Flinders Chase, based on 76 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Brown Thornbill in Flinders Chase?
July has the highest sighting rate for Brown Thornbill in Flinders Chase in our monthly data.