26 |
![]() |
Little GrassbirdAlternate name(s): "Little Marshbird", "Striated Grassbird" Size: 13-15 cm Weight: 12 g (average) |
![]() |
Similar |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
|
||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Photos |
Race "goulburni"
![]() |
ADULT |
![]() |
MALE |
Close-up frontal view of a Little Grassbird; this is the bird whose
calls were
recorded on 29 July 2022; if our interpretation of the calls
is correct, this bird is a male
[Pilliga Lagoon, Pilliga, NSW, July 2022]
Sex unknown |
Close-up frontal view of a Little Grassbird
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]
Frontal view of a Little Grassbird; this is the bird whose
calls
were recorded on 10 March 2020
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2020]
Close-up lateral view of a Little Grassbird
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2014]
Lateral view of a Little Grassbird in
reeds
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2020]
Little Grassbird in typical posture, now seen more sideways
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2013]
Dorsal view of a Little Grassbird with its tail up high
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2010]
Dorsal view of a Little Grassbird in reeds
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2013]
Find the bird - who can spot the Little Grassbird?
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2013]
Little Grassbird issuing its call
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2013]
![]() |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up frontal view of a juvenile Little Grassbird looking
sideways; note the characteristic yellow tinge around the bill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]
Close-up frontal view of a juvenile Little Grassbird looking
sideways; note the characteristic yellow tinge around the bill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]
Race "thomasi"
![]() |
ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Lateral view of a Little Grassbird in reeds (photo courtesy
of J. Greaves)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, January 2015]
Near-dorsal view of a Little Grassbird, in a posture typical of
this species, with the head down and the tail high up
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, January 2015]
![]() |
Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Solitary/pair |
Little Grassbirds are secretive birds that, although audible when calling, are very hard to find for visual identification.
Little Grassbird having a look around (click on image for overview)
- this was the only time in half an hour's bird watch that one of
four individuals was visible, other than when darting from one patch
of reeds to another; this is one of the birds whose calls were recorded on 16 May 2018
[Pilliga, NSW, May 2018]
![]() |
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.
A number of contact calls are presented here to document their variability, in particular in pitch.
ltgrass_20190616_2.m4a |
goulburni (NW NSW) |
Territorial call (male) | © MD | |
ltgrass_20190616.m4a |
goulburni (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls (male) | © MD | |
ltgrass_20220729_2.m4a |
goulburni (NW NSW) |
Territorial call (male) + "rattling" call response (female) | © MD | |
ltgrass_20180516_3.m4a |
goulburni (NW NSW) |
Chirp (male) + "rattling" call response (female) | © MD | |
ltgrass_20200310_1.m4a |
goulburni (NW NSW) |
? + territorial call (male) | © MD | |
ltgrass_20200310_2.m4a |
goulburni (NW NSW) |
? (+ Eurasian Coot & Australian Reed-Warbler) | © MD |
More Little Grassbird sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.