In East Gippsland the Brown Thornbill is
easily our most common thornbill in a wide range of habitats. However it avoids
open habitats such as grasslands where Yellow-rumped Thornbills tend to be the
most common of the thornbills.
Browns perhaps seem more common because they occupy understory where we are more
likely to see them compared with Striated and Yellow Thornbills which often
operate higher up in the canopy where they are harder to see. Also we are more
likely to notice the Browns because they have a large repertoire of calls, with
many distinctive calls and some quite melodic and loud, compared with the more
limited range of calls and quieter voices of other thornbills. That said, I am fairly
sure Browns are more numerous and widespread than other species of thornbill in
East Gippsland.
Browns are relatively easy to identify with
buff scallops on the forehead, a dark red eye and blackish streaks on a grey
throat and breast.
Right click with mouse on photo to enlarge and use wheel to scroll through images.
Close up of Brown Thornbill showing the buff scalloped forehead, dark red eye and dark streaks on grey throat and breast. |
They actively forage in dense understory
for insects and other small prey either alone, in pairs or small family groups.
In the non breeding season they can often be found in mixed species flocks of
thornbills and other small insectivores such as robins, scrub-wrens and so on.
The following sequence of photos show a
Brown Thornbill foraging in Hazel Pomaderris (aspera) under tall Mountain Ash
(E regnans) near the top of Mt Elizabeth, a long extinct volcano which is now a
Flora Reserve where rare plants are protected.
Following a morning of rain and overcast
conditions for most of the day the Thornbills seemed to be enjoying the late
afternoon sunny breaks when light beamed down through the Mountain Ash canopy
to the understory far below.
I was there to check out road conditions to
this magic place for a BirdLife East Gippsland Monday outing the following day.
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