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26

Tawny Grassbird

(Megalurus timoriensis)
Alternate name(s): "Tawny Marshbird",
"Rufous-capped Grassbird", "Rufous-capped Grass Warbler"

Size: 17-19 cm
Weight: 13-25 g

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Tawny Grassbird at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "alisteri"

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of a male Tawny Grassbird in display flight (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, October 2013]

Sex unknown

Close-up full-frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, February 2023]

Close-up frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, February 2023]

Close-up frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, October 2021]

Frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, January 2021]

Frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird issuing its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, January 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird issuing its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, February 2023]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, February 2023]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, February 2023]

Close-up near-lateral view of a moulting Tawny Grassbird looking backwards
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Hasties Swamp, Atherton, QLD, November 2020]

Near-lateral view of a Tawny Grassbird on a fence post with its tail fanned
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Boar Pocket Road, Tinaroo, QLD, January 2019]

Close-up lateral view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, February 2023]

Lateral view of a Tawny Grassbird issuing its call (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, September 2021]

Close-up lateral view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[The Spit, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

Lateral view of a Tawny Grassbird on a fence post (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Boar Pocket Road, Tinaroo, QLD, January 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Tawny Grassbird looking for food (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Dorsal view of a Tawny Grassbird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, February 2015]

Dorsal view of a Tawny Grassbird with its tail fanned (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, February 2015]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Sedentary Elementary unit: Pair

Lateral view of a Tawny Grassbird in a sea of tall weeds
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2022]

Food, Diet

Close-up frontal view of a Tawny Grassbird with its prey, a moth (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, March 2023]

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.

twngras_pb_20200520.m4a alisteri
(Darwin, NT)
Warning calls © PB
twngras_20210828.m4a alisteri
(NW NSW)
Warning calls © MD
twngras_20210828_2.m4a alisteri
(NW NSW)
Warning calls + departure © MD
twngras_pb_20200520_2.m4a alisteri
(Darwin, NT)
Alarm call © PB
twngras_me_20200421.m4a alisteri
(SE QLD)
Alarm calls © ME
twngras_20210822_3.m4a alisteri
(NW NSW)
Alarm calls © MD
twngras_20210022_5.m4a alisteri
(NW NSW)
Various (+ Bar-shouldered Dove) © MD
twngras_20210822_2.m4a alisteri
(NW NSW)
Various (+ others in bkgd) © MD
twngras_20210822_4.m4a alisteri
(NW NSW)
Various (+ others in bkgd) © MD
twngras_20210822_6.m4a alisteri
(NW NSW)
Various (+ others in bkgd) © MD
twngras_20210822.m4a alisteri
(NW NSW)
Various (+ others in bkgd; long sequence) © MD
twngras_pb_20200301.m4a alisteri
(Darwin, NT)
Various (+ Red-collared Lorikeet) © PB

More Tawny Grassbird 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.

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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.