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Tasmanian Thornbill
(Acanthiza ewingii)
: "Ewing's Thornbill"
Size: 10 cm
Weight: 6-8 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Tasmanian Thornbills are very small bushland birds. Their cap is
olive-brown,
the back and tail are darker olive-brown, while the wing feathers
are dark-grey with olive-brown edge lining. The front, from chin
to breast, is finely scalloped grey on lighter grey. The sides
of the head and the frons also show some scalloping. The belly
is greyish to cinnamon towards the vent. The undertail coverts
are white to light-grey and visibly fluffy.
The irises are red; the bill, legs and feet are dark-grey.
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Twitcher's tip |
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Tasmanian Thornbills are best distinguished from
Brown Thornbills
by their characteristic white to light-grey tail coverts.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Tasmanian
Thornbill at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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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
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The global distribution of the Tasmanian Thornbill is available
HERE
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There are two races of Tasmanian Thornbills, both of which are
endemic to Tasmania and other, smaller
islands along
Bass Strait.
Nominate race
"ewingii"
populates most of Tasmania and all of the associated
smaller islands,
EXCEPT King Island. They are also only rarely found in the hills to
the South of Launceston, TAS.
On King Island, race "rufifrons"
is found.
Tasmanian Thornbills are found in (often upland)
forest,
woodland and
scrub, in
particular in cold and wet areas.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "ewingii"
Tasmanian Thornbills, nominate race
"ewingii",
were spotted by B. Hensen on Bruny Island, TAS, in March 2016.
M. Eaton reports finding Tasmanian Thornbills, nominate race
"ewingii",
at Mt. Wellington, Hobart, TAS, and along the Queen Elizabeth Track,
Bruny Island, TAS, in April 2021. More were found at Eaglehawk Neck,
near Hobart, TAS, in September 2021.
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Photos |
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Race "ewingii"
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ADULT |
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Frontal view of a Tasmanian Thornbill
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]
Near-frontal view of a Tasmanian Thornbill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mt. Wellington, Hobart, TAS, April 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Tasmanian Thornbill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, September 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Tasmanian Thornbill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Tasmanian Thornbill
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]
Close-up lateral view of a Tasmanian Thornbill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]
Lateral view of a Tasmanian Thornbill
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]
Lateral view of a Tasmanian Thornbill; note the fluffy white to
light-grey tail coverts characteristic of this species
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]
Lateral view of a Tasmanian Thornbill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, September 2021]
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.