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WeebillAlternate name(s): "Scrub-tit", "Tree-tit", "Brown Weebill", "Yellow Weebill", "Short-billed Scrub-tit" ![]() Size: 8.5-9.5 cm Weight: 4-8 g |
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Similar |
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See Weebill
at Wikipedia |
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Photos |
Race "brevirostris"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Close-up frontal view of a Weebill
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Dripping Rock, near Maules Creek, NSW, October 2012]
Frontal view of a Weebill
[Bullawa Creek SCA,
NSW, August 2011]
Frontal/ventral view of a Weebill
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2019]
Near-lateral portrait of a Weebill
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Dripping Rock, near Maules Creek, NSW, October 2012]
Near-lateral view of a Weebill looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roma Bush Gardens, Roma, QLD, August 2022]
Near-lateral view of a Weebill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roma Bush Gardens, Roma, QLD, August 2022]
Close-up lateral view of a Weebill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2022]
Lateral view of a Weebill
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, December 2019]
Lateral view of a Weebill hanging off a twig, head down
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2023]
Lateral/ventral view of a Weebill
[Between Pilliga and Burren Junction, NSW, May 2018]
Lateral/ventral view of a Weebill
[Near Narrabri, NSW, December 2021]
Lateral/ventral view of a Weebill
[Near Narrabri, NSW, December 2021]
Lateral/ventral view of a Weebill
[Bullawa Creek SCA,
near Narrabri, NSW, November 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Weebill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roma Bush Gardens, Roma, QLD, August 2022]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Weebill looking back
[Bugilbone, NSW, December 2015]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a preening Weebill
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2019]
Dorsal view of a Weebill
[Near Narrabri, NSW, December 2021]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Juvenile Weebill foraging on its own; this bird was seen and heard
around our place for several weeks, always alone; its calls were recorded on 7 February
2015
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2015]
Two fledgling Weebills waiting to be fed
[Bullawa Creek SCA,
NSW, June 2008]
Two fledgling Weebills waiting to be fed
[Bullawa Creek SCA,
NSW, June 2008]
Race "occidentalis"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Weebill
[Arkaroola, SA, March 2008]
Frontal/ventral view of a Weebill issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Koondoola Reserve, Perth, WA, July 2016]
Near-frontal view of a Weebill
[Arkaroola, SA, March 2008]
Near-frontal view of a Weebill looking down
[Arkaroola, SA, March 2008]
Lateral view of a Weebill with its head turned towards the observer
[Arkaroola, SA, March 2008]
Lateral view of a Weebill issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Koondoola Reserve, Perth, WA, July 2016]
Lateral view of a Weebill issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Koondoola Reserve, Perth, WA, July 2016]
Lateral view of a Weebill
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Between Berri and Renmark, SA, September 2018]
Race "flavescens"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Weebill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]
Near-frontal view of a Weebill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Near-frontal/ventral view of a Weebill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Near-lateral view of a Weebill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Close-up lateral view of a Weebill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]
Lateral view of a Weebill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Weebill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Weebill (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2013]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: July - May | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 10 - 12 days | Fledging age: ? |
The breeding season of Weebills depends on geographic latitude and climatic conditions. They can breed almost any time of the year.
Nest building: ? | Incubation: Female | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Dome | Material: Grass, soft plant fibres, cobwebs | Height above ground: 3 - ? m |
Nests of Weebills are usually placed in the tops of live trees and shrubs, concealed in dense foliage.
View of a Weebill nest that was built uncharacteristically low in a
eucalypt,
only 2 m above ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2022]
View from below of a Weebill nest in the top of a young
eucalypt,
showing clearly the side entrance
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]
From the side, even when standing at the level of the tree crown,
the same Weebill nest as shown above is hard to find
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]
Weebill nest right at the top of a young tree
[Bullawa Creek SCA,
NSW, October 2018]
Weebill nest right at the top of a young tree
[Bullawa Creek SCA,
NSW, October 2018]
Weebill that flew straight to this point on a steep creek bank
to harvest the web of a small spider for binding its nest
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]
Weebill harvesting the web of a small spider for binding its nest
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 15 x 11 mm | Colour: Creamy, with greyish-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial?/ roaming? | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Family clan |
Weebills are so light-weight, they can without problems hang off the
end of a eucalypt
leaf
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2021]
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Food, Diet |
Weebills forage through the foliage in the crowns of trees for small insects.
Weebill taking a spider
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2020]
An unusual sight: Weebill foraging on the ground
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2019]
An unusual sight: Weebill with a small insect taking on the ground
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2019]
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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.
weebill_20200824.m4a |
brevirostris (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls? | © MD | |
weebill_20230729.mp3 |
brevirostris (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls? (Q&A) | © MD | |
weebill_20170920.m4a |
brevirostris (W NSW) |
Territorial calls? (Q&A) | © MD | |
weebill_20181215.m4a |
brevirostris (W NSW) |
Territorial calls? (Q&A) | © MD | |
weebill_20170920_2.m4a |
brevirostris (W NSW) |
Various | © MD | |
weebill_20200816.m4a |
brevirostris (NW NSW) |
Various | © MD | |
weebill_20180902.m4a |
brevirostris (NW NSW) |
? | © MD | |
weebill_jg_20160710.m4a |
occidentalis (SW WA) |
Feeding calls & contact call | © JG | |
weebill_pb_20180708.m4a |
flavescens (Top End, NT) |
Contact call | © PB | |
weebill_pb_20200609.m4a |
flavescens (Top End, NT) |
Contact call | © PB | |
weebill_pb_20190709.m4a |
flavescens (Top End, NT) |
Contact calls Q&A | © PB |
We have also recorded a Weebill's wing beat.
weebill_20180902_2.m4a |
brevirostris (NW NSW) |
Level flight | © MD | |
weebill_20200816_2.m4a |
brevirostris (NW NSW) |
Foraging | © MD |
More Weebill sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.