Inland Thornbill
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| Inland Thornbill | ||||||||||||||
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| Acanthiza apicalis Gould, 1847 |
The Inland Thornbill (Acanthiza apicalis), commonly called the Broad-tailed Thornbill, is a small, insect-eating bird of Australia. The Inland Thornbill is commonly confused with the coastal Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla) due to its similar colorations [1]. The Inland Thornbill encompasses four subspecies [2]:
- A. a. apicalis
- A. a. albiventris
- A. a. cinerascens
- A. a. whitlocki
The thornbill ranges in size from 9 to 11 centimeters, averaging 10 centimeters and 7 grams [3]. The bird has a grey-brown back, a reddish rump, and a dark tail with a white tip. Its underbelly is cream colored with black streaks. Both male and female thornbills look similar, though male birds tend to be a bit larger[3].
Breeding season lasts from July through December. Female thornbills average three eggs per clutch, which incubate for 19 days. Baby birds leave the nest after 17 days[3].
The thornbill can be found throughout Australia inland of the Great Dividing Range, but not in tropical northern climates or in Tasmania [1]. The Inland Thornbill overlaps in range with the Brown Thornbill along the Great Diving Range, leading to numerous mis-sightings[3]. Inland thornbills live in dry scrublands and woodlands. In Southwestern Australia, they also inhabit sand heaths and karri and jarrah forests[3]. It feeds on small insects and spiders, and occasionally seeds and small vegetable matter, beneath shrubs and in foliage.
