Banded Whiteface
Aphelocephala nigricincta
Small bird with stubby bill, found in arid open areas across inland central and western Australia. Warm brown above, white below, with thin dark gray chest band, reddish-brown marks on the flanks, pale eye, whitish throat, and white mark above bill. Forages on the ground in small flocks; also perches on fence lines and on the top of small bushes. Call is a soft warbling whistle.
Identification
The adult banded whiteface is around 10 cm (4 in) long. The upper parts of the body and head are greyish brown. The face has a white mask bordered by a darker band which runs vertically across the region of the eyes. The upper breast is pale blue-grey and the underparts white, separated by a prominent black band across the breast. There are red-brown patches on the flanks. The bill and legs are black and the eyes are white. The plumage of male and female are alike and juveniles are duller.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Aphelocephala nigricincta
- Authority
- (North, 1895)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Acanthizidae
- Genus
- Aphelocephala
Range and habitat
A nomadic or sedentary species moving according to seasonal conditions, the banded whiteface is found in a very large range from southwestern Queensland across dryer parts of central and southern Australia into mid-Western Australia. It inhabits mulga woodland, gibber plains and sandhills, and frequents saltbush and spinifex.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Like the other birds in its genus, the banded whiteface hops over open ground in pairs or small groups foraging for seeds and insects.<p>Nesting takes place in winter from July to September or after a period of rain. Located on the ground near shrubs, the round hollow nest is constructed of twigs and grass and has a long tubular entrance. Both the nest and the tunnel are lined with flowers and feathers. The clutch consists of three or four matte white eggs with brown blotches mostly at the larger end. Tapered oval in shape, they are around 17 mm long by 13 mm wide.<p>The banded whiteface has been reported to enter torpor at night in winter months, reawakening as it warms in the morning.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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Scytalopus simonsi
Tiny, plump gray-and-brown bird that looks almost tailless. Males are ashy gray with warm reddish brown on their back half; females are similar, with the warm reddish brown extending farther up the back to the crown. Forages singly or in pairs low in dense vegetation in stunted elfin forest and humid shrubby grassland at high elevations, at and above the treeline; often found in Polylepis groves. A bit less shy than most tapaculos, but still heard far more often than seen. Its song is a single squeaky “tcheur” note, repeated at a steady pace of about 1-2 notes per second in a long series.
Veery
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Heard Island Shag
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A large pied shag with a very white head, neck, and shoulders, a bright blue eye-ring, and a large patch of yellow warty skin in front of the eyes. Breeding adult has a wispy crest. Marine, breeding on cliffs and in tussock grassland. No other similar birds occur within its limited range. Loud barking and honking are the most common vocalizations.
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