Slender-billed Thornbill

About the Slender-billed Thornbill

The slender-billed thornbill (Acanthiza iredalei) is a small bird native to Australia. It includes three sub-species: A. i. hedleyi A. i. iredalei A. i. rosinae This thornbill can be found in shrublands and salt marshes, typically those around salt lakes or low heath on sand plains. It eats mostly insects and spiders captured in the shrubs of its habitat. It rarely feeds on the ground, preferring instead the higher elevations of shrubs and trees.

The slender-billed thornbill is rarely observed alone. They are usually seen in flocks of approximately 8-10 birds or in pairs. Thornbill nests are small and built in low shrubs. They are constructed of grass, bark, cobwebs, and other shrubland debris. Females lay up to three eggs during the breeding season, which runs from July until November.

The thornbill ranges from 9 to 10 centimeters in length. The colour of its back ranges from olive-grey to a darker olive-brown. The base of its tail is olive-yellow. Its underbelly is a smooth cream colour, and it has a dark bill and pale eyes.

The slender-billed thornbill iredalei subspecies has six separate and isolated populations in Western Australia... Wikipedia →