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18

Gibberbird (Ashbyia lovensis) Alternate name(s): "Desert Chat", "Gibber Chat" Size: 12-13 cm Weight: 14-20 g

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Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Gibberbirds are very small nectar-eating birds. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Gibberbirds have yellowish front, from the lores via the chin and throat down to the undertail. The ear patches, frons, cap and back are all scalloped grey-brown, with light-grey edge lining. The tail is dark-grey with a narrow white terminal band. Female Gibberbirds have a paler front than males and a darker scalloped back. In general, the colour contrast of their plumage is lower than that of males. The irises of both sexes are yellowish-white. The bill is dark-grey, the legs are grey. Juvenile Gibberbirds resemble females.

Taxonomy, classification See Gibberbird at Wikipedia . Click here for classification information Gibberbirds are closely related to the Chats of genus Epthianura.

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 Gibberbird is available HERE . NB: Reports on ebird of birds submitted by birdwatchers from the Australian Outback tend to be clustered along roads and public areas such as camp grounds; in such cases their distribution is not a good representation of the overall distribution of the species. Gibberbirds are endemic to the Red Centre of the Australian continent. They are found in an area spanning from the SA/NT border to the South of Alice Springs south-eastward to a line connecting Coober Pedy, SA, with Broken Hill, NSW. From Broken Hill the eastern edge of their range runs straight northward, to the tropic of Capricorn. Their range encompasses north-eastern SA, far-northwestern NSW and subtropical south-western QLD, except an area around the three-state corner of SA, the NT and QLD. Sightings elsewhere are extremely rare. Gibberbirds have a strong preference for stony, open plains (gibber), with very little, if any noticeable vegetation.

Sightings Click here for sighting information M. Mearns reports spotting a Gibberbird 100 km North of Innamincka, SA, in September 2009. M. Eaton found a Gibberbird along the Boulia to Bedourie Road, far-western QLD, in July 2021. More Gibberbirds were found along the Birdsville Track, QLD, in August 2022.

Photos

ADULT

MALE

Distant frontal view of a male Gibberbird; the prominent yellow front and facial mask suggest that this is a male bird
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[100 km North of Innamincka, SA, September 2009]

Lateral view of a male Gibberbird looking at the observer; note the absence of a greyish band across the chest
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, QLD, August 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a male Gibberbird; click on image to see more of the surroundings, which are the typical habitat of this species, namely gibber (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[100 km North of Innamincka, SA, September 2009]

FEMALE

Close-up frontal view of a female Gibberbird looking sideways; note the more subdued colours compared to the males shown above (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, QLD, August 2022]

Lateral view of a female Gibberbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Boulia to Bedourie Road, QLD, July 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.

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Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Wed, 7 September 2022, 8:55 +00:00