G’day everyone,
Thanks to all those people who’ve replied about this bird. Most people have said it’s a Tawny Grassbird, but a few think it might be a Little Grassbird.
There are a still points about this bird that have me confused. The white fringing on the tertials(?), the slight dark streaking to the crown, (as evident in the second image) and the dark line running through the eye seem to suggest Little Grassbird. But the lack of streaking on the breast leads it towards a Tawny Grassbird. Is it possible this might be a young bird, or a hybrid of the 2?
When I saw this bird it was at the bottom of a small gully feeding in between some grasses. Not the sort of habitat I’ve seen Little Grassbirds in when I’ve seen them (which is no more than 10 times all up). What attracted me to it was it’s call. I was looking in that area for Pipit’s which are usually around there, when I heard the bird. I remember it having an attractive call with multiple notes. Sorry about the vagueness on that point, but I don’t remember anymore about it’s call.
Here’s a link to another image showing the crown and back. I don’t have a better photo of the breast that I could post. Link: http://bit.ly/ZtuImt
Regards, Mark
Hello Mark. Isn’t it interesting that you can post a nice clear photo of a relatively common bird and get such a difference of opinion about its identity. I too thought it was a Tawny Grassbird, which are very common in Brisbane (where I live), but I have now changed my mind. If you look at this galley of TGB photos http://www.pbase.com/sjmurray/tawny_grassbird you will see that in each case the bill is longer and more robust than your bird; the tail is longer; and the dark stripe through the eye is absent. The other thing is that I don’t think I’ve ever seen a TGB on the ground like that whereas LGB’s readily poke about on the ground. Cheers Steve Murray
Hello all,
I’ve only seen the 2 images posted to Birding-aus… are there any other images that other people commenting here have seen?? If so, then I’d like to see them too.
From what I’ve seen, the bill is very hard to see clearly – open in first image, & seen from behind & top on the second image.
If there are other images I’m yet to see that show more flank streaking & better views of bill, then please show them… Thanks in advance,
Martin Cachard Cairns
CC: birding-aus@vicnet.net.au
Hi Martin, Mark et al. As I stated in an earlier e-mail, looking at the last picture alone I would say Little Grassbird (and agree with Martin). In one of the earlier pictures there is also some streaking on the lower flanks and on the crown (as also seen in the last picture), which would speak against Tawny Grassbird. Also, as Chris and others suggested, the bill speaks against Tawny Grassbird, too. Mark told me that he did not see the bird sing and that the song he heard and described may have been sung by another bird. This means that we can’t use the song to rule out Little Grassbird. Cheers, Nikolas
Hi Martin, Mark et al.
As I stated in an earlier e-mail, looking at the last picture alone I would say Little Grassbird (and agree with Martin). In one of the earlier pictures there is also some streaking on the lower flanks and on the crown (as also seen in the last picture), which would speak against Tawny Grassbird. Also, as Chris and others suggested, the bill speaks against Tawny Grassbird, too. Mark told me that he did not see the bird sing and that the song he heard and described may have been sung by another bird. This means that we can’t use the song to rule out Little Grassbird.
Cheers,
Nikolas
The fine black bill is typical for the LGb while the TGb has a robust bill with a pinkish base. Cheers Chris
Hello all again,
This second image that Mark has posted almost looks a different individual – it does appear more like a Little Grassbird just on this second image, however the first image I have no doubt whatsoever is of a Tawny. I’m thinking that if the images are definitely of the same individual, then I’m still confident it is a Tawny – the first shot is in my opinion NOT a Little, while the second shot could well be of a young Tawny, some often not having a fully-grown tail.
I just can’t accept that first image being of a Little. If I’m wrong then so be it, but I’ve never seen a Little like that first image…
Cheers, Martin Cachard Cairns
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Mark,
Your bird matches the painting in HANZAB Volume 7 Part B opposite page 1720 of a juvenile Little Grassbird, including the pale edging to the secondaries/tertials and the lack of marking on the throat. I have photos of adult and juvenile Tawny Grassbirds that I could send you off list. They have longer tails and are more rufous in the plumage. The calls are a good way to distinguish them as well as the Little Grassbird has a mournful two-note plaintive song and the Tawny has a much more excited and rich display flight and bomb-dropping song as well as ‘chuck chuck ‘ type contact calls.
Greg Dr Greg. P. Clancy Ecologist and Birding-wildlife Guide PO Box 63 Coutts Crossing NSW 2460 0266493153 0429601960
Hi Nikolas,
I use the terms of calls and song interchangeably. That’s very poor of myself I know. But what I heard would be better described as a song. Now that I think about it, I didn’t see this bird make any noise, but I assumed the noise/song I heard came from this bird as I could see no other bird nearby.
Regards, Mark
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but the white edging to feathers on the back (tertials) would indicate Little Grassbird and not Tawny Grassbird, wouldn’t it?
Jeremy
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Looking at the last picture alone I would say Little Grassbird. In one of your earlier pictures there is also some streaking on the lower flanks. You are saying call but what you are describing seems to be rather the song and not a call? Can you describe that a bit more detailed?
Cheers,
Nikolas