Inland thornbill
| Inland thornbill | |
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| Scientific classification | |
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A. apicalis
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| Binomial name | |
| Acanthiza apicalis Gould, 1847
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Acanthiza apicalis apicalis |
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The inland thornbill (Acanthiza apicalis), commonly called the broad-tailed thornbill, is a small, insect-eating bird of Australia. The Inland Thornbill is commonly confused with the coastal brown thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla) due to its similar colorations.[2] The inland thornbill encompasses four subspecies:[3]
- A. a. apicalis
- A. a. albiventris
- A. a. cinerascens
- A. a. whitlocki
The thornbill ranges in size from 9 to 11 centimetres, averaging 10 centimetres and 7 grams.[4] The bird has a grey-brown back, a reddish rump, and a dark tail with a white tip. Its underbelly is cream colored with black streaks. Both male and female thornbills look similar, though male birds tend to be a bit larger.[4]
Breeding season lasts from July through December. Female thornbills average three eggs per clutch, which incubate for 19 days. Baby birds leave the nest after 17 days.[4]
The thornbill can be found throughout Australia inland of the Great Dividing Range, but not in tropical northern climates or in Tasmania.[2] The inland thornbill overlaps in range with the brown thornbill along the Great Dividing Range, leading to numerous mis-sightings.[4] Inland thornbills live in dry scrublands and woodlands. In Southwestern Australia, they also inhabit sand heaths and karri and jarrah forests.[4] It feeds on small insects and spiders, and occasionally seeds and small vegetable matter, beneath shrubs and in foliage.
