Buff-rumped Thornbill
Acanthiza reguloides
Small bird with thin pointed bill. Upperparts grayish brown towards southern end of range and more olive-brown farther north. Underparts are varying levels of yellow depending on subspecies. Distinctive orange-brown rump in all subspecies, some also with and orange-brown tone in lores. Pale eye. Inhabits open habitats, particularly eucalypt forests and other woodlands, where it feeds in small flocks in bushes and branches of trees.
Identification
The buff-rumped thornbill (Acanthiza reguloides) is a small passerine bird species belonging to the genus Acanthiza, most of which are endemic to Australia. Measuring 8–10 cm in length, this unassuming thornbill is characterised by its plain greenish brown upperparts and very pale-yellow underparts, with a distinctive buff coloured rump. The tail has a broad, blackish band with a paler tip. Adults possess white irises, whilst juveniles have dark eyes. The buff-rumped thornbill is one of 14 species within the genus Acanthiza genus, which are recognisable by their thin, pointed bill. Species are unique in their plumage and distribution. Despite their shared name, the genus is not related to hummingbirds.
Taxonomy
Early classifications of the genus Acanthiza based on plumage and morphology recognised one to three genera with a varying number of species in each. However, recent classifications have recognised one genus containing five species groups or four groups excluding the New Guinean murina.<p>The taxonomy of the Acanthiza reguloides has undergone significant change and debate since its early classification. Despite marked differences between A. reguloides and A. squamata, they have been combined as a single species since 1926. Four subspecies of Acanthiza reguloides are recognised. These are:
- Scientific name
- Acanthiza reguloides
- Authority
- Vigors & Horsfield, 1827
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Acanthizidae
- Genus
- Acanthiza
Range and habitat
Primarily distributed in eastern Australia, the buff-rumped thornbill's range spans from Chinchilla, Queensland, west to Cobar, New South Wales, across Victoria and southeastern South Australia. This is an area of approximately 2 000 000 km2. This adaptable species thrives in dry sclerophyll forests and open eucalypt woodlands that have an open or sparse understorey.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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