17 |
![]() |
Striated PardaloteAlternate name(s): "Striated Diamond-bird", "Pickwick", "Wittachew", "Chip-chip"; race "striatus": "Yellow-tipped Pardalote"; races "ornatus", "substriatus", "uropygialis": "Red-tipped Pardalote"; race "melanocephalus": "Black-headed Pardalote" ![]() Size: 9.5-11.5 cm Weight: 9-15 g |
![]() |
Similar |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
|
||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Photos |
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
look here .
Race "striatus"
![]() |
ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal view of a Striated Pardalote "striatus" (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, March 2016]
Race "substriatus"
![]() |
ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus"
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
Near-lateral view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus"
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Near-lateral view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus" with its
feathers ruffled (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
Lateral view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus" (photo
courtesy of J. Greaves)
Lateral view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus"
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Close-up lateral view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus"
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2016]
Close-up lateral view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus"
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2019]
Close-up dorsal view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus"
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, March 2009]
Close-up dorsal view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus"
collecting nesting material
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2016]
Pair of Striated Pardalotes "substriatus" (photo
courtesy of J. Greaves)
![]() |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-frontal view of a Striated Pardalote, race "substriatus";
this bird does not have pure juvenile characteristics any longer
(the yellow bib is developing and the cap is not dull brown any
longer), but the pale-yellow gape clearly indicates that it is
not an adult either
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Striated Pardalote, race "substriatus";
this bird does not have pure juvenile characteristics any longer
(the yellow bib is developing and the cap is not dull brown any
longer), but the pale-yellow gape clearly indicates that it is
not an adult either
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2021]
Adult Striated Pardalote, race "substriatus", with two dependent
juveniles - these are the birds whose
begging calls
were recorded on 4 October 2019
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2019]
Race "ornatus"
![]() |
ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Close-up full-frontal view of a Striated Pardalote "ornatus"
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2018]
Frontal view of a Striated Pardalote issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2018]
Near-frontal view of a Striated Pardalote "ornatus"
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2018]
Lateral view of a Striated Pardalote "ornatus"
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2018]
Lateral view of a Striated Pardalote "ornatus" with food for its chick;
try as we might, we could not find the young bird that we heard responding
to the adult's calls
[Dangars Lagoon, near Uralla, NSW, January 2011]
Near-dorsal view of a Striated Pardalote "ornatus"
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2018]
Race "melanocephalus"
![]() |
ADULT |
![]() |
PAIR |
Near-lateral view of a p air of Striated Pardalotes
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, June 2013]
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dayboro, QLD, July 2023]
Frontal view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Frontal view of a Striated Pardalote issuing its
call
[Whittaker's Lagoon, NSW, June 2012]
Frontal view of a Striated Pardalote looking sideways
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dayboro, QLD, July 2023]
Frontal/ventral view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, May 2020]
Near-frontal view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dayboro, QLD, July 2023]
Near-frontal view of a Striated Pardalote with its wings spread
(photo courtesy of T. Allison)
[Mooloolah River NP, Sunshine Coast, QLD, June 2013]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Reserve, QLD, April 2018]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2017]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dayboro, QLD, July 2023]
Near-lateral view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Close-up lateral view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dayboro, QLD, July 2023]
Close-up lateral view of a Striated Pardalote issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dayboro, QLD, July 2023]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dayboro, QLD, July 2023]
Close-up near-dorsal/ventral view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Reserve, QLD, April 2018]
Lateral view of a Striated Pardalote in flight, inspecting a
house wall for potential prey
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, June 2014]
Races "melanocephalus/substriatus"
In the area where we live, in inland north-western NSW, three races of Striated Pardalotes overlap: ornatus, substriatus and melanocephalus. This can lead to observations of hybrids, as shown here.
![]() |
ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal portrait of a Striated Pardalote (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Near Armidale, NSW, September 2013]
Frontal view of a Striated Pardalote; note how the black cap indicates
race "melanocephalus", while the striated pattern around the eyes and
the wing markings show the influence of race "substriatus"
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, May 2013]
Frontal view of a Striated Pardalote
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2010]
Near-frontal view of a Striated Pardalote
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
Near-frontal view of a Striated Pardalote
;
again the black cap indicates race "melanocephalus",
while the striated pattern around the eyes and the wing
markings show the influence of race "substriatus"
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
Lateral view of a nosy Striated Pardalote
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
Lateral view of a Striated Pardalote
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
Lateral view of a Striated Pardalote (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[5 km east of Armidale, NSW, September 2013]
![]() |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Juvenile Striated Pardalote melanocephalus/substriatus
[January 2008]
Juvenile Striated Pardalote approaching a waterhole
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, January 2009]
Lateral view of a juvenile Striated Pardalote from underneath
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, December 2012]
Juvenile Striated Pardalote begging for food
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2009]
Lateral view of a fledgling Striated Pardalote; one can see that
the bird's plumage
is still partly downy
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2012]
Race "uropygialis"
Sexing Striated Pardalotes of race "uropygialis" in the field, and even from photos, is difficult. For an attempted explanation, click below.
Click here for sexing information
![]() |
ADULT |
![]() |
MALE |
Full-frontal view of a male Striated Pardalote "uropygialis";
note the solid-black cap
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle
Nature Park, Darwin, NT, February 2018]
Near-frontal view of a male Striated Pardalote "uropygialis" -
note the solid-black cap
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Near-frontal view of a male Striated Pardalote "uropygialis"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Victoria River Roadhouse, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a male Striated Pardalote "uropygialis"
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Lateral view of a male Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
Lateral view of a male Striated Pardalote "uropygialis"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Victoria River Roadhouse, NT, July 2020]
Partly obscured lateral view of a male Striated Pardalote;
this is the bird whose calls were recorded on
19 February 2018 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle
Nature Park, Darwin, NT, February 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a male Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Ventral view of a male Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle
Nature Park, Darwin, NT, February 2018]
![]() |
FEMALE |
Pair of Striated Pardalotes, race "uropygialis"; female above
- note the grey cap (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Frontal view of a female Striated Pardalote, race "uropygialis",
with its head turned - note the grey cap
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Lateral view of a female Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal/ventral view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Artemis Station, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]
Near-frontal/ventral view of a Striated Pardalote
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Artemis Station, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]
![]() |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of a juvenile Striated Pardalote "uropygialis"
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, August 2017]
![]() |
Breeding information |
Breeding season: Aug - Jan | Eggs: 3 - 4 | Incubation period: 14 - 16 days | Fledging age: ca. 21 - 28 days |
In the tropical North of Australia Stritaed Pardalotes breed during the dry season.
These two Striated Pardalotes are getting "into the mood"
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2012]
Lateral view of a Striated Pardalote collecting nesting material
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[5 km east of Armidale, NSW, September 2013]
![]() |
Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Tunnel or hollow with basket | Material: Bark strips, grass | Height above ground: 0 - 10 m |
Striated Pardalotes not only build their own nests, but have also been observed by us recycling other species' nests. Usually they use horizontal branches, but also various substitutes, such as pipes.
There is a separate page describing the dissection of a Striated Pardalote nest.
Entrance to a Striated Pardalote nest tunnel
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Striated Pardalote leaving its nest tunnel
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Overview of the location of the above Striated Pardalote nest tunnel
in the cut-out sandbank of an eroded beach
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Striated Pardalote right outside its nest tunnel
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2021]
Striated Pardalote at the entrance of its nesting hollow in an ironbark
eucalypt tree
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2008]
This Fairy
Martin nest (the one with the bottle shape right at the centre)
was re-used by a pair of Striated Pardalotes; an attempt to photograph
a bird when entering or leaving failed due to bad light under the
overhanging rock
[Dripping Rock, near Maules Creek, NSW, October 2011]
Striated Pardalotes can be very crafty when it comes to selecting the right nesting hollow (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Striated Pardalote entering its nesting hollow (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
This Striated Pardalote is entering its nesting hollow in a vertical
creek bank
[Near Narrabri, NSW, October 2014]
Striated Pardalote leaving its nest tunnel to dispose of a
poo sac discharged by a chick (photo courtesy of L. Tonnochy)
[Near Townsville, QLD, August 2016]
Striated Pardalote bringing food for its chicks (photo courtesy of L. Tonnochy)
[Near Townsville, QLD, August 2016]
Striated Pardalote nest in a gravelly bank
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer, Darwin, NT, July 2014]
Striated Pardalote "substriatus" collecting nesting material (photo
courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, July 2013]
Threads of palm leaves (although not native to Australia) are highly
appreciated by many species, including Striated Pardalotes, as material
for lining their nests
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
Close-up lateral view of a Striated Pardalote "substriatus"
collecting nesting material
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2016]
Two Striated Pardalotes investigating the potential of a steep
bank for building a nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
![]() |
Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size:18 x 15 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Tapered oval |
![]() |
Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Migratory/dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair |
Striated Pardalote extending its body, making full use of the
resonance produced in its thorax to intonate a strong
call
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Knuckey Lagoon, Darwin, NT, June 2020]
![]() |
Food, Diet |
Striated Pardalotes forage through the foliages of trees for small insects. They are often credited with the title "Saviour of the trees" and the photo below gives an example why - note the lerps the bird has in its bill.
Striated Pardalote with a good haul of
lerps; they do
not only eat these sugary secretions, but also the leaf-eating
insects producing them -
psyllids
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2010]
Striated Pardalote foraging in a eucaypt tree; its target are the
white spots (lerps
of psyllids )
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2012]
Striated Pardalote looking around
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2012]
Gotcha! Striated Pardalote with its prize
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2012]
Two Striated Pardalotes seen by us looking for insects on the ground,
under a tree infested with psyllids
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2012]
Striated Pardalote beating a caterpillar to death before devouring it
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, June 2013]
![]() |
Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
strpard_20180516.m4a |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls | © MD | |
strpard_20170817.m4a |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls | © MD | |
strpard_20170920.m4a |
substriatus (W NSW) |
Contact calls (Q&A) | © MD | |
strpard_20210424.m4a |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls (Q&A) | © MD | |
strpard_20141016_2.m4a |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls & feeding calls | © MD | |
strpard_20190816.m4a |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls + feeding calls (Q&A) | © MD | |
strpard_20151008.mp3 |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
Alarm call? (human near nest) | © MD | |
strpard_20190310.m4a |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
Feeding call | © MD | |
strpard_20210424_2.m4a |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
Feeding calls | © MD | |
strpard_20191004.m4a |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (2 juveniles) | © MD | |
strpard_20220410.m4a |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
? | © MD | |
strpard_20140925.mp3 |
substriatus (NW NSW) |
? | © MD | |
strpard_art_20140411.m4a |
melanocephalus (SE QLD) |
Contact calls | © ART | |
strpard_20151003.mp3 |
melanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls | © MD | |
strpard_pb_20180219_2.m4a |
uropygialis (Top End, NT) |
Contact calls (male) | © PB | |
strpard_pb_20180603.m4a |
uropygialis (Top End, NT) |
Territorial calls (male) | © PB | |
strpard_pb_20180603_2.m4a |
uropygialis (Top End, NT) |
Territorial calls (male) | © PB | |
strpard_pb_20180503.m4a |
uropygialis (Top End, NT) |
Territorial calls (male) | © PB | |
strpard_pb_20180503_3.m4a |
uropygialis (Top End, NT) |
Territorial calls (2 competing males) + Bar-shouldered Dove | © PB |
More Striated Pardalote sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.