Epthianura albifrons
Silhouette: Rachael Joakim · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
The white-fronted chat (Epthianura albifrons) is a species of bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae native to southern Australia. The male has a white face bordered by a black breast band. It is insectivorous. Sir Willam Jardine and P.J.Selby described the white-fronted chat in 1828 as Acanthiza albifrons. Lesson described it in 1844 as Fluvicola leucocephala, and Brehm as Cinura torquata in 1845. John Gould named it Epthianura albifrons in 1838. The derivation of the generic name Epthianura is obscure, coming either from the Ancient Greek ephthos 'refined' or ephthinaō 'wasting away' and oura 'tail' (referring to the "short and truncated tail"). The specific epithet albifrons derives from the Latin albus 'white' and frons 'forehead'.
The species is monotypic; that is, no subspecies are recognised. Tasmanian birds were thought to have longer bills but this has not been borne out on further investigation. This species has collected many vernacular names. From its distinctive call were derived the names (banded) tintack, gar and tang, and the males' resemblance to a nun's habit led to the name (white-fronted) nun, and similarly moonface, moonbird, baldyhead, baldy... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rottnest Island | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a White-fronted Chat sighting in Rottnest Island on a given day, based on 217 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 24th most-seen of the 81 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a White-fronted Chat in Rottnest Island on a given day, against about 20% in December, the lowest month. That is one of Rottnest Island's wettest months, with about 100 mm of rain against 5 mm in December.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-fronted Chat sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 7 parks where we can rate White-fronted Chat sightings, Rottnest Island has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Maria Island National Park (Australia, about 30%) and Flinders Ranges National Park (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Meliphagidae
The closest relatives of the White-fronted Chat that you can see in Rottnest Island (family Meliphagidae, Honeyeaters) are Singing Honeyeater (about 70%) and Red Wattlebird (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-fronted Chat is recorded against all the birds logged in Rottnest Island (217 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.
