Adults: Above, grey-green. Rump, tawny. Tail, dark grey-brown with black subterminal band and grey-buff to white tips on inner webs of all but the central pair of feathers. Face, flecked olive- to pale-grey, scalloped fawn on forehead. Below, cream- to whitish grading to olive-brown, yellow-buff on flanks and undertail. Eye, yellow-white. Bill, large and black. Feet, dusky brown.
Immatures:
North-eastern Australia: highlands of north-eastern Queensland from Shipton's Flat (near Cooktown) south to Paluma Range (near Townsville), extending inland to Atherton and Windsor Tablelands.
Highlands (above 450m) of north-eastern Queensland from about Cooktown to Mount Spec, near Townsville.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Voice
Resembles the Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla). Call: Single 'chips' in contact; buzzing 'chaah, cha, chaaah' in alarm. Song: Sweet, short metallic trills, often introduced by several short falling whistles 'tchu-tchu-tchu-tchu'.
Mountain Thornbill (Acanthiza katherina) [XC640028]
by nick talbot from Mt. Lewis, Julatten, Queensland, Australia (uncertain)
Mountain Thornbill (Acanthiza katherina) [XC279239]
by nick talbot from Queensland: Cape York Peninsula: Daintree NP, Australia (call, song, call or song)
Breeding Season (Guide)
September - December, January.
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Nest
Bulky, domed, with slightly hooded side-entrance near the top. Made of dry grass and vine tendrils and covered with green moss, lined with finer material. Usually in the outer foliage of a rainforest tree over 10 m from the ground.
Eggs (Guide)
2; pinkish white, spotted and blotched with brown, red-brown and underlying grey, often in zone at the larger end; oval; about 17 x 12 mm.
Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fed by both parents.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Closely related to Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla), and has been thought to form a superspecies with it. Has similarities with New Guinea Thornbill (Acanthiza murina).
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