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Grey-crowned BabblerAlternate name(s): "Grey-crowned Chatterer", "Temporal Babbler", "Rufous-breasted Chatterer", "Happy Family*", "Chatterer*", "Cackler*", "Barker", "Pine-bird", "Dog-bird", "Hopper", "Codlin-moth-eater", "Jumper", "Yahoo", "Parson-bird"; misnomers: "Apostlebird*", "12 Apostles*", "Catbird*" ![]() Note: Includes former "Red-breasted Babbler" Size: 26-29 cm Weight: 60-85 g |
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Similar species |
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Photos |
Race "temporalis"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of an adult Grey-crowned Babbler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2012]
Frontal view of a Grey-crowned Babbler, different posture
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2012]
Frontal view of a Grey-crowned Babbler
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, August 2018]
Grey-crowned Babbler preening the underside of its wing
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, July 2011]
Near-frontal view of a Grey-crowned Babbler monitoring the sky for
predators
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2012]
Near-frontal view of a Grey-crowned Babbler
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Near-frontal view of a Grey-crowned Babbler
[Narrabri, NSW, November 2010]
Near-lateral view of a Grey-crowned Babbler
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Near-lateral view of a Grey-crowned Babbler foraging on the ground
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Blackbutt, QLD, July 2020]
Lateral view of a Grey-crowned Babbler
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, August 2018]
Lateral view of a Grey-crowned Babbler foraging on the ground
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2018]
Lateral view of a Grey-crowned Babbler
[Narrabri, NSW, November 2010]
Near-dorsal view of a Grey-crowned Babbler that is drying its
plumage after
having a bath
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, July 2017]
Dorsal view of a Grey-crowned Babbler
[Narrabri, NSW, November 2010]
Here a Grey-crowned Babbler seen foraging on the ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
Whatever the Grey-crowned Babbler wanted, it had to dig it out of the soil
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
Grey-crowned Babbler preening, seen against evening sunlight
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, August 2006]
Family of Grey-crowned Babblers taking a bath (photo courtesy of
R. Druce)
Grey-crowned Babblers are gregarious and inquisitive birds
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Grey-crowned Babblers are gregarious and inquisitive birds
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
This Grey-crowned Babblers is fanning its tail, displaying the
conspicuous white terminal band (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Direct comparison of the size of a Grey-crowned Babbler with
a Willie Wagtail
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2016]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a juvenile Grey-crowned Babbler preening
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Lateral view of a juvenile Grey-crowned Babbler
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, September 2008]
Lateral view of the same Grey-crowned Babbler as shown above
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, September 2008]
Fledgling Grey-crowned Babbler, hardly able to fly and still stumbling
along the branches of the tree in which it is hiding, while its parents
go mad about the photographer in the vicinity
[Near Narrabri, NSW, October 2006]
Slightly different posture of the same fledgling Grey-crowned Babbler
[Near Narrabri, NSW, October 2006]
Race "rubeculus"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal view of a Grey-crowned Babbler
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a Grey-crowned Babbler - note the reddish
tint on the bird's breast giving this race its name; this is one
of the birds whose
calls were recorded on 6 August 2016 (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, August 2016]
Lateral view of a Grey-crowned Babbler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of Grey-crowned Babblers; note the dark iris of
the bird on the right, indicating that it is a juvenile
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, August 2016]
Near-lateral view of a juvenile Grey-crowned Babbler
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Adelaide River, NT, April 2018]
Lateral view of a juvenile Grey-crowned Babbler
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Adelaide River, NT, April 2018]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jul - Feb | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 17 - 25 days | Fledging age: 19 - 22 days |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "malunna" = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Dome | Material: Sticks, with grass and/or feather lining | Height above ground: 4 - 7 m |
Grey-crowned Babblers sometimes nest in the lower part of a larger bird's nest (e.g. a corvid's or a raptor's). They are known to be communal breeders.
Family clan of Grey-crowned Babblers working on their nest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, January 2020]
All kinds of material are brought in, from lining material
and twigs... (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, January 2020]
... to substantial sticks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, January 2020]
Grey-crowned Babblers' nest (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Double-storied Grey-crowned Babblers' nest in unusual surroundings,
namely in a plane tree in a
garden;
the location of this nest was kindly reported to us by J. Faris
[Narrabri, NSW, March 2009]
Unusual Grey-crowned Babblers' nest, in an almost horizontal branch of an
eucalypt tree
above a dirt road
[Near Kenebri, NSW, January 2016]
Clan of Grey-crowned Babblers building a nest (photo courtesy
of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, December 2011]
Grey-crowned Babbler adding one more stick to its nest... HERE!
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Adel's Grove, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, July 2016]
Grey-crowned Babbler collecting nesting material
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Adel's Grove, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, July 2016]
Grey-crowned Babbler peeking out of its nest (photo courtesy
of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, January 2011]
This Grey-crowned Babbler nest was pinched by a pair of Blue-faced Honeyeaters (photo courtesy
of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, June 2008]
Blue-faced Honeyeaters occasionally pinch the nests of
Grey-crowned Babblers;
here the builder of the nest is looking on helplessly as
the competition moves in uninvited
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2017]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 22 x 16 mm | Colour: Light-brown with strong colour pattern | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Family clan |
Courtship display of a pair of Grey-crowned Babblers
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]
Courtship display of a pair of Grey-crowned Babblers
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]
Grey-crowned Babblers are gregarious birds that are almost always on the move and busy with something. Quite often they are seen by us together with a mob of Apostlebirds.
Grey-crowned Babbler TLC
[Pilliga Bore Bath, near Pilliga, NSW, November 2017]
"Stereo" Grey-crowned Babbler TLC (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, May 2013]
Many family units are happy to live in very little dense vegetation by roadsides, often with only one sufficiently large tree to provide them with shelter. In late October 2005 we spotted six separate groups in the area of Yarrie Lake and Bohena, West to South-West of Narrabri, along roadsides over a distance of only 20 km.
Grey-crowned Babbler taking a bath (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mt. Molloy, QLD]
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Food, Diet |
Like all other babblers of the Pomatostomus family, Grey-crowned Babblers hunt for insects and their larvae in trees and on the ground.
Lateral view of a Grey-crowned Babbler that has caught a bush cockroach
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2012]
This Grey-crowned Babbler is prying a spider out of its hideaway
under the remnant bark of a dead branch
[Pilliga Bore Bath, near Pilliga, NSW, November 2017]
Clan of Grey-crowned Babblers giving a tree trunk a good working
over in search of food (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, November 2010]
One animal's refuse, another's treasure...: Grey-crowned Babbler
digging up a cow pad (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, Gatton, QLD, November 2019]
Grey-crowned Babbler taking water from a bird bath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2014]
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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.
grcrbab_20180217.m4a |
temporalis (NW NSW) |
Various (family clan foraging) | © MD | |
grcrbab_20180502_3.m4a |
temporalis (NW NSW) |
Warning calls (Collared Sparrowhawk) | © MD | |
grcrbab_20201219.m4a |
temporalis (NW NSW) |
Warning calls clan (humans near nest) | © MD | |
grcrbab_20180502.m4a |
temporalis (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls (Collared Sparrowhawk) | © MD | |
grcrbab_20200815.m4a |
temporalis (NW NSW) |
Various (long sequence) | © MD | |
grcrbab_jg_20160806.m4a |
rubeculus (Central WA) |
Contact calls? | © JG | |
grcrbab_pb_20181118.m4a |
rubeculus (Inland NT) |
? (Great Bowerbird in bkgd) | © PB |