Population
Estimated population is 1,600 (2010) and decreasing.
Status EN
Changing fire regimes resulting in unsuitable habitat is the main threat. Also, grazing, invasion of habitat by exotic weeds, and predation by cats and foxes. Birdwatching may be a threat to the northern population as repeated playback of calls have the potential to affect breeding.
Food
Invertebrates, mainly insects but also seeds.
Voice
Loud, high-pitched, melodious, silvery 'sweet bijou', repeated at about 5 second intervals. Also chattering, staccato, silvery notes, like a fairy-wren but brighter and higher pitched.
Eastern Bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus) [XC171952]
by Pieter de Groot Boersma from Barren Grounds, New South Wales, Australia (song)
Eastern Bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus) [XC326388]
by Greg McLachlan from Barren Grounds, The Council of the Municipality of Kiama, New South Wales, Australia (alarm call, call)
Nest
Dome-shaped, with a side entrance, loosely constructed, composed of dry leaves and blades of grass, lined with fine dried grass, placed in a tussock or a low bush, near the ground.
Eggs (Guide)
2; dull pale buff with red-brown and purple-brown blotches, especially at the larger end; oval; about 26 x 19 mm. Incubation: at least 21 days; probly by female.
Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 11 days.
Subspecies
In past, sometimes treated as conspecific with Western Bristlebird (Dasyornis longirostris).
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
brachypterus (Latham, 1801) - Coastal south-eastern Australia between IIlawarra in New South Wales and Mallacoota - Cape Conran in East Gippsland, Vic., formerly north to the upper Nepean River and Port Jackson.
monoides Schodde & Mason, IJ, 1999 - Coastal and subcoastal north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Qld, east to the Great Divide, between Dorrigo Plateau and Conondale Range.
Similar Species
Similar in jizz and skulking behaviour to Rufous Scrub-bird (Atrichornis rufescens) but lacks barring on upperparts.
References
See References.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet