Brown Thornbill or juvenile Jacky Winter please? (Or other?)

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dongatrash
Brown Thornbill or juvenile Jacky Winter please? (Or other?)

Hi, I cannot decide what this bird is, one I've not seen in our garden before, I don't think.

His back colouring makes me think Jackie Winter, but his front is very streaked. Photos not really clear due to the distance of photo.

Any help will get him logged in to the Bathing Birds survey, so thanks!

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Female Whistler, possibly a Golden or Rufous

youcantryreachingme
youcantryreachingme's picture

I only have beginner's experience with LBJs but I'm thinking it's not a thornbill - the beak shape in the 2nd photo lends itself to whistler, as NathanY said. The striations on the breast suggest female rufous whistler to me too. (I'm going by my Graham Pizzey guide here). The only other candidate I can see via the book is the speckled warbler - but your bird has a much plainer face than the markings shown for the warbler. So my amatuer's guess is rufous whistler. (The female golden doesn't have striations in my book)

youcantryreachingme
youcantryreachingme's picture

PS, here's a brown thornbill local to me. I have a more recent photo that I'm working on at the moment too, but note the difference in beak shape. These guys also seem really puffed up in the body compared to your bird.

youcantryreachingme
youcantryreachingme's picture

Here we go:


Brown thornbill

dongatrash

Great work people, thanks! I must admit, I did think it looked smaller than the whistler sizes stated 17cm), but I guess that can be deceiving, and we have seen a male Rufous Whistler on our place in previous years, so I'm happy now.

Thanks again.

Woko
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Looks like a female rufous whistler to me, too, dongatrash.

lorne.johnson@d...
lorne.johnson@dow.catholic.edu.au's picture

I'll go with female rufous too. LJ

Annie W
Annie W's picture

I'm no help with your ID so glad the resident experts helped you out there - but just had to say LOVE that water feature, looks amazing!  

West Coast Tasmania

dongatrash

Thanks everyone, and thanks AnnieJ!

The water feature was made for us by a friend, and planted out by my partner. Birdies love it too, but it's been iced over a few mornings, with the frosts we have been getting.

Cheers all.

Woko
Woko's picture

That plant looks rather like one of the native rushes. Keep your eye on it because there are butterfly species which use rushes as part of their habitat.

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