Rufous-crowned Emuwren
Stipiturus ruficeps
Tiny buff-brown bird with enormously long, fine tail, found in arid parts of inland Australia. Crown a clean, rich brown, with streaked back, wings, and cheek; underparts buffy brown. Males have a sky-blue throat and upper breast. Tail is much longer and far more spindly than tail of fairywrens. The trick to finding this shy species is to find large unburned patches of spinifex, listening carefully for the species’ very thin, faint calls.
Identification
The rufous-crowned emu-wren is the smallest and most brightly coloured of the three emu-wren species.The adult male has reddish upperparts with faint streaks, with a prominently rufous crown and grey-brown wings. It has a bright sky blue throat, upper chest, lores and ear coverts. The lores and ear coverts, and chest border are streaked with black. The tail is double the body length, and is composed of six filamentous feathers, the central two of which are longer than the lateral ones. The underparts are buff. The bill, feet and eyes are brown. The female resembles the male but lacks much of the blue plumage and redder crown. Its throat is a yellow buff, and it has some blue-tinged streaked ear coverts. Its bill is pale brown.
Taxonomy
The rufous-crowned emu-wren is one of three species of the genus Stipiturus, commonly known as emu-wrens, found across southern and central Australia. It was first described in 1899 by Archibald James Campbell, more than a century after its relative the southern emu-wren. Its species name is derived from the Latin words rufus "red" and caput "head". No subspecies are recognised, although birds from Western Australia may have redder plumage, and females more blue on the face and lores. It has been considered a subspecies of both the southern and mallee emu-wrens in the past. The common name of the genus is derived from the resemblance of their tails to the feathers of an emu.
- Scientific name
- Stipiturus ruficeps
- Authority
- Campbell, AJ, 1899
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Maluridae
- Genus
- Stipiturus
Range and habitat
The rufous-crowned emu-wren is found across the arid interior of northern central Australia, from the Simpson Desert in the southeast and Barkly Tableland in the northeast, across the centre to the Western Australian coast and the Pilbara in the northwest. There is also an isolated population found to the east in south-western Queensland bounded by Dajarra, Winton, Fermoy and Boulia. It lives in spinifex shrubland.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Kosrae White-eye
Zosterops cinereus
Small ash-gray warbler-like bird, endemic to the Micronesian island of Kosrae. Combination of uniform coloration, size, and pale eye-ring makes this species unique on the island. Forages in a range of wooded habitats, from mangroves to remnant native rainforest. Much like other white-eyes, often forages in active, fast-moving flocks, but can also be encountered singly or in pairs. Gives squeaky chirruping calls rather similar to those made by sparrows or small parakeets.
Cherrie's Antwren
Myrmotherula cherriei
Heavily streaked antwren. Males are black and white, while females are buff with black streaks. Found in seasonally flooded forests with short trees, wooded savannas on white sands, and shrubby areas near water. Typically forages in the understory and often accompanies mixed-species flocks. The song is a rising trill. Difficult to tell apart from other black-and-white streaked antwrens, but look for the black (not gray) lower bill and thicker streaks, in addition to differences in the song.
Little Bustard
Tetrax tetrax
A small brownish bustard with long legs and neck. May crouch if disturbed but when flushed, explodes noisily into a grouselike flight with whirring wings. Striking white wings with black tips are prominent in flight. Breeding-plumaged males are distinctive with black neck and double V-shaped white collar. Usually fairly quiet and unobtrusive. Found in open plains with shrubs and sufficient ground cover to hide in.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.