Acanthiza reguloides
Silhouette: Matt Wilkins (photo by Patrick Kavanagh) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~60%
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 →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Buff-rumped Thornbill sighting in Kosciuszko National Park on a given day, based on 64 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 52nd most-seen of the 127 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, March–April and August
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Buff-rumped Thornbill in Kosciuszko National Park on a given day, against about 10% in February, May, July and September–December, the lowest months. June has too few records to rate.
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.
Yes
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Buff-rumped Thornbill sightings, Kosciuszko National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Grampians National Park (Australia, about 10%) and Great Otway National Park (Australia, about 10%).
Same genus: Acanthiza
The closest relatives of the Buff-rumped Thornbill that you can see in Kosciuszko National Park (genus Acanthiza, Australasian Thornbills) are Brown Thornbill (about 50%), Striated Thornbill (about 30%) and Yellow-rumped Thornbill (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Buff-rumped Thornbill is recorded against all the birds logged in Kosciuszko National Park (64 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
