17

Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) Alternate name(s): "Yellow-tailed Thornbill", "Yellow-rumped Tit", "Yellow-rumped Tit-Warbler", "Yellow-tail", "Chigaree" Aboriginal name(s): Race "chrysorrhoa": "djidbot" Size: 11-12 cm Body mass: 8-10 g

Australia: Family Group 17 Family Group 17 Table Spotted Pardalote Forty-spotted Pardalote Red-browed Pardalote Striated Pardalote Large-billed Scrubwren Atherton Scrubwren White-browed Scrubwren Spotted Scrubwren Tasmanian Scrubwren Yellow-throated Scrubwren Pilotbird Rock Warbler Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Shy Heathwren Striated Fieldwren Rufous Fieldwren Fernwren Scrubtit Speckled Warbler Redthroat Western Gerygone Brown Gerygone Mangrove Gerygone Dusky Gerygone Large-billed Gerygone Green-backed Gerygone Fairy Gerygone White-throated Gerygone Weebill Yellow Thornbill Striated Thornbill Buff-rumped Thornbill Yellow-rumped Thornbill Western Thornbill Slender-billed Thornbill Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Brown Thornbill Inland Thornbill Slaty-backed Thornbill Tasmanian Thornbill Mountain Thornbill Southern Whiteface Chestnut-breasted Whiteface Banded Whiteface Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Yellow-rumped Thornbills are very small bushland birds. They have a dark-grey forehead with prominent white spots, a white frons and a prominent white eyebrow. The ear patches are spotted. The front, from the throat downwards to the undertail coverts, is creamy, with buff sides. The cap and nape of the neck are grey, while the back is greyish olive-green and the tail is dark-grey. The grey flight feathers have an olive-green leading edge. The most prominent feature is the bright-yellow rump. The irises are greyish-brown, the bill, legs and feet are dark-grey.

Taxonomy, classification See Yellow-rumped Thornbill 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 Yellow-rumped Thornbill is available HERE . Yellow-rumped Thornbills are endemic to Australia. They populate mostly the southern half of the Australian continent, South of the tropic of Capricorn, including large parts of the semi-arid interior. There are four races - for details see a field guide. Overall, Yellow-rumped Thornbills are found in southern and central QLD, the southern half of the NT, the southern half of WA, most of SA and almost all of NSW and VIC. Yellow-rumped Thornbills, nominate race "chrysorrhoa"" live roughly in the south-western half of WA, up to near the North-west Cape, and from there south-westward into and throughout the Nullarbor, into south-western SA. Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leighi" populate NSW, VIC and the south-eastern quarter of SA. Race "normantoni" are specialists for semi-arid country. They are present in the north-western quarter of SA, the southern half of the NT and inland QLD. Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leachi" are present in Tasmania, except for the island's South-West coast. There are a few exceptions to the general distribution summaries above: there are no Yellow-rumped Thornbills in the great sandy deserts of WA. They are not found in the Lake Eyre Basin, i.e. the border region of NSW, QLD and SA, either. Yellow-rumped Thornbills have a preference for lightly wooded areas, such as open forest or areas with a remnant tree population (such as e.g. farmland), and often around the fringes of woodland. Their preference is for more scattered wooded areas than those favoured by Buff-rumped Thornbills. Where to look? How to find this species? Next to Buff-rumped Thornbills, they are the only species of thornbill known to us that will forage on the ground in open grassland (but usually close to trees). If, in areas with scattered trees, one finds a small mob of birds skipping about in grass or along footpaths, walking tracks or other areas at the interface of wooded and open country, while constantly communicating with each other, chances are that they will be Yellow-rumped Thornbills.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "chrysorrhoa" J. Greaves reports spotting Yellow-rumped Thornbills, nominate race "chrysorrhoa", at Manjimup, WA, in March 2015. Yellow-rumped Thornbills, nominate race "chrysorrhoa", were again spotted by J. Greaves at Bibra Lake, near Perth, WA, in September 2016. M. Eaton reports spotting Yellow-rumped Thornbills, nominate race "chrysorrhoa", at Triandra Reserve, Cockburn, WA, in April 2019. C. Pears found Yellow-rumped Thornbills, nominate race "chrysorrhoa", at Dunsborough, WA, in June 2023. Others were found at Margaret River, WA, in February 2025. Race "leighi" Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leighi", were regular visitors to the place where we lived from 2003 to 2006, 20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, on the edge of Jack's Creek State Forest. They were always around the place in considerable numbers. At Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri, in more open country, they were first seen less frequently, usually in autumn/winter, while other thornbills were more prominent, but have now become permanent residents. Since the 2010/11 season they are also found breeding at our place at Eulah Creek. Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leighi", are also resident in Deriah Aboriginal Area, in the foothills of the adjacent Great Dividing Range, a few km further East. A. Ross-Taylor reports spotting Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leighi", at the Spit, Gold Coast, QLD, in August 2015. A. Campbell reports spotting Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leighi", at Mount McEuen, QLD, in November 2016. A. Campbell reports finding Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leighi", at Lake Coolmundra, QLD, in May 2018. R. Plumtree reports finding Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leighi", occasionally in East Gippsland, VIC. Race "leachi" B. Hensen reports spotting Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leachi", on Bruny Island, TAS, in March 2016. M. Eaton found Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "leachi", at Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, in September 2021. Race "normantoni" M. Eaton found Yellow-rumped Thornbills, race "normantoni", in the township of Mount Isa, QLD, in July 2021. They were also found in Roma, QLD, in August 2022. Where to look? How to find this species? Yellow-rumped Thornbills are found in many locations throughout inland NSW. Amongst the various species of thornbills, they are the easiest to spot, because they can be seen foraging on the ground, and in relatively open country. Their behaviour can resemble that of some species of finches.

Photos

Race "chrysorrhoa"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Manjimup, WA, March 2015]

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill collecting nest material (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Bibra Lake, near Perth, WA, September 2016]

Lateral view of two Yellow-rumped Thornbills (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Dunsborough, WA, June 2023]

Dorsal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Manjimup, WA, March 2015]

Race "leighi"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2025]

Frontal portrait of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill looking sideways
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2022]

Near-frontal portrait of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2026]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2026]

Near-frontal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]

Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Near Bugilbone, NSW, May 2017]

Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill looking downwards
[Near Bugilbone, NSW, May 2017]

Near-lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill looking towards the observer with its bill wide open
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, July 2019]

Close-up near-lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill looking sideways
[Near Bugilbone, NSW, May 2017]

Near-lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Near-lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill, looking away from the observer
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Lateral portrait of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2026]

Close-up lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill with a conspicuously hooked upper mandible
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Near Bugilbone, NSW, May 2017]

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2016]

Lateral view down onto a Yellow-rumped Thornbill on a 40+ C day
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, February 2006]

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill foraging on the ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2011]

Yellow-rumped Thornbill trying to decide whether or not to go for another skinny-dip... (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, November 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a soaking wet Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbills with its name-giving rump prominently visible
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2020]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill in mellow light
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]

Close-up dorsal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill checking for spiders in a garden fence
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2026]

Normally, even in a dorsal view, the yellow rump of Yellow-rumped Thornbills is hidden under the folded wings (see above) - here one gets a glimpse
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2013]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Yellow-rumped Thornbill; note the orange gape
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, November 2012]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, November 2012]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, November 2012]

Frontal view of a fledgling Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a fledgling Yellow-rumped Thornbill on its first day outside the nest; while its siblings were still in the nest (and the parents trying to feed everybody) this active youngster was all about our garden, flying distances of up to 30 m
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2012]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a fledgling Yellow-rumped Thornbill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2012]

Near-lateral/ventral view of 2 fledgling Yellow-rumped Thornbills waiting to be fed
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

Fledgling Yellow-rumped Thornbills waiting to be fed; what to do while waiting - stretch or call
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

Near-frontal/ventral view of fledgling Yellow-rumped Thornbill, right, demanding to be fed by one of its parents
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

Lateral view of a fledgling Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra Flora Reserve, NSW, September 2013]

Near-dorsal view of a fledgling Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra Flora Reserve, NSW, September 2013]

Race "leachi"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill in a meadow (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, April 2021]

Dorsal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, April 2021]

Race "normantoni"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roma, QLD, August 2022]

Near-lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roma, QLD, August 2022]

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Isa, QLD, July 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Isa, QLD, July 2021]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jul - Dec

Eggs: 3 - 4

Incubation period: 18 days

Fledging age: ca. 14 - 21 days

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Dome

Material: Grass, root fibres, webs

Height above ground: 1 - 8 m

This Yellow-rumped Thornbill nest in dense foliage of a eucalypt in our garden was quite high, about 8 m above ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]

Yellow-rumped Thornbill nest in a Cypress pine
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2014]

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbills near the entrance it is nest inside a fruit stand in an introduced palm tree
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2012]

Near-frontal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill collecting lining material for its nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 18 x 13 mm

Colour: White, with light-brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Family clan/mob

Note that, although listed as "communal" above, Yellow-rumped Thornbill family clans, as ensembles/entities, are territorial.

(Next to Buff-rumped Thornbills,) Yellow-rumped Thornbills are one of only two species of thornbill observed by us to regularly forage on the ground. We have seen them hunting for insects on our lawn and paddock. Having caught something, they fly to a nearby tree with dense foliage before eating the insect.

Mob of Yellow-rumped Thornbills at the local bird bath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2023]

Yellow-rumped Thornbills like taking a bath or, as in this case, a shower under a garden sprinkler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2013]

Food, Diet

Like all other members of the Acanthiza family, Yellow-rumped Thornbills hunt for small insects. We have also seen one taking a relatively large spider (see photos below). As opposed to most other thornbills, they are often found hunting on the ground, not only in the leaf litter of forests, but also in open grassland.

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill that has caught a bug
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2022]

Near-lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill grabbing a spider
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2011]

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill with its prey, a spider
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2011]

Lateral view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill taking what looks like a caterpillar in an Acacia salicina
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

Near-dorsal view of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill seen scraping off small white eggs attached to a twig (lower right), while keeping an eye on the observer
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2017]

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.

yrthbil_20201227.m4a	leighi (NW NSW)	Contact call	© MD
yrthbil_20250821.m4a	leighi (NW NSW)	Contact calls	© MD
yrthbil_20230428.mp3	leighi (NW NSW)	Contact calls (Q&A)	© MD
yrthbil_20191221.m4a	leighi (NW NSW)	Various (family clan)	© MD
yrthbil_20220927.mp3	leighi (NW NSW)	Various (family clan)	© MD
yrthbil_20210324.m4a	leighi (NW NSW)	Various (family clan)	© MD
yrthbil_20210426.m4a	leighi (NW NSW)	Various (family clan)	© MD
yrthbil_20230726.mp3	leighi (NW NSW)	Various (family clan)	© MD
yrthbil_20250805.m4a	leighi (NW NSW)	? (Q&A)	© MD

We have also recorded the wing beats of Yellow-rumped Thornbills.

yrthbil_20140715_5.mp3	leighi (NW NSW)	Straight, level flight	© MD
yrthbil_20230603.mp3	leighi (NW NSW)	Mob buzzing around bird bath	© MD
ylthbil_20230603.mp3	(NW NSW)	Yellow Thornbill alarm call & Yellow-rumped Thornbill departure	© MD

More Yellow-rumped Thornbill sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.