mdahlem.net

Home About Contact us Related links No AI

Birds Australia

Top Species list A-Z Family groups 1-26 Plumage Nests Habitats Key plants Passerines v non-passerines Glossary Sponsors Credits Photos Aboriginal information General information

Birds Europe

Top Species list A-Z Family groups 1-26 Plumage Glossary Credits General information

Birds Oman

Top Species list A-Z Family groups 1-26 Plumage Glossary Credits General information

Nat'l Parks

Top Australia Chile/Argentina Germany/Netherlands USA/Canada

Impressions

Top Australia Chile/Argentina Germany/Netherlands

Photos

Top Favourites Birds of Australia Australian weather shots Dew drops Dew drop animations How dew drop lenses work Birds of Oman Astronomical telescopes Art in nature

Astronomy

Top Scientific research Popular-scientific pages Credits

15

Western Bristlebird (Dasyornis longirostris) Alternate name(s): "Long-billed Bristle-bird", "Brown Bristlebird*" Aboriginal name(s): "booderitj", "djidalya" Size: 17-21 cm Body mass: 30-38 g

Australia: Family Group 15 Family Group 15 Table Noisy Pitta Rainbow Pitta Superb Lyrebird Albert's Lyrebird Noisy Scrub-bird Rufous Scrub-bird Rufous Bristlebird Western Bristlebird Black-tailed Treecreeper Red-browed Treecreeper White-browed Treecreeper Brown Treecreeper Rufous Treecreeper White-throated Treecreeper Eurasian Hoopoe Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Western Bristlebirds are mostly ground-dwelling birds roughly the size of a Bell Miner. Their plumage is mostly mottled and streaked brownish-grey, with rufous flight feathers and uppertail coverts. Most of the head (except the supercilium and the chin) and the back are darker brownish-grey than the front. The centre of the breast and belly are lighter grey than the sides. They receive their characteristic streaked appearance from white shafts on their feathers. The name derives from their prominent, dark bristles. The irises are red. The only slightly down-curved bill, legs and feet are all grey.

Taxonomy, classification See Western Bristlebird at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Superb Lyrebird is available HERE . The Western Bristlebird has a very restricted range. It is found only in coastal heathland along the South coast of WA. Formerly described as "East and West of Albany", recent reports indicate the presence of Western Bristlebirds only in two areas to the East of Albany, WA. One area extends from Albany north-eastwards, to near Mettler, WA. The other extends from eastward of Bremer Bay to roughly the Fitzgerald River NP. Western Bristlebirds have a strong preference for coastal heath. This specialization, together with their already restricted range, makes them vulnerable to habitat loss.

Sightings Click here for sighting information J. Greaves reports spotting a Western Bristlebird at Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, in March 2018. Another was found at Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, in June 2020. All photographic and sighting information presented on this page has kindly been contributed by J. Greaves.

Photos

ADULT

Full-frontal view of an adult Western Bristlebird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

Frontal view of a Western Bristlebird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Western Bristlebird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Western Bristlebird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Western Bristlebird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

Lateral view of a Western Bristlebird running on sandy soil (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

Lateral view of a Western Bristlebird foraging on sandy soil (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Western Bristlebird foraging on sandy soil (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Western Bristlebird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a Western Bristlebird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Dorsal view of a Western Bristlebird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

View of the coastal heath where the Western Bristlebird shown here was found (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Arpenteur NR, near Albany, WA, March 2018]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.