Buff-rumped Thornbill

Buff-rumped Thornbill

Acanthiza reguloides

Silhouette: Matt Wilkins (photo by Patrick Kavanagh) · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Melbourne

In 3 days <5%

19 Verified sightings at Melbourne
588 In all 6 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Buff-rumped Thornbill

The buff-rumped thornbill (Acanthiza reguloides) is a small passerine bird species belonging to the genus Acanthiza, most of which are endemic to Australia. Measuring 8–10 cm in length, this unassuming thornbill is characterised by its plain greenish brown upperparts and very pale-yellow underparts, with a distinctive buff coloured rump. The tail has a broad, blackish band with a paler tip. Adults possess white irises, whilst juveniles have dark eyes. The buff-rumped thornbill is one of 14 species within the genus Acanthiza genus, which are recognisable by their thin, pointed bill. Species are unique in their plumage and distribution. Despite their shared name, the genus is not related to hummingbirds.

Early classifications of the genus Acanthiza based on plumage and morphology recognised one to three genera with a varying number of species in each. However, recent classifications have recognised one genus containing five species groups or four groups excluding the New Guinean murina.

The taxonomy of the Acanthiza reguloides has undergone significant change and debate since its early classification. Despite marked differences between A. reguloides and A. squamata... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Begging call1:09

Australia · 2024

© Romuald Mikusek · XC1173931 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:33

Australia · 2023

© Peter Boesman · XC859595 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Song0:25

Australia · 2012

© David Edwards · XC521655 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
2 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
3 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
4 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
5 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
6 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Buff-rumped Thornbill in Melbourne?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Buff-rumped Thornbill sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 211th most-seen of the 236 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Buff-rumped Thornbill in Melbourne?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Buff-rumped Thornbill in Melbourne on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Buff-rumped Thornbill?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Buff-rumped Thornbill sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Where else can you see a Buff-rumped Thornbill?

Only Melbourne, in our data

Melbourne is the only city on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Buff-rumped Thornbill sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.

Where does the Buff-rumped Thornbill sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Buff-rumped Thornbill is recorded against all the birds logged in Melbourne (19 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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