Southern Australia: scattered locations in south-western Western Australia (except for extreme south-western corner), south-eastern South Australia (eastern from Eyre Peninsula, southern from Flinders Ranges), central and south-western New South Wales and northern and north-western Victoria.
South-western New South Wales, north-western Victoria, southern South Australia and south-western Australia, north to Shark Bay, WA.
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).
Habits
Singly or in twos. Occasionally small family parties.
Food
Insects, procured from the ground.
Voice
A sweet, musical, 'chee-too-kwee', 'whip-whip, paree', uttered while perched on a stick, leafy bush or dead tree. A high-pitched 'seep' uttered in contact. Dry rattling sounds. Hissing scolds.
Nest
A slight depression scratched into the ground, lined with grass and rootlets, ptotected on the outside by strips of bark, and cross-hatch of twigs. Sometimes placed on top of a low thick bush.
Eggs (Guide)
1; cream or pale green, spotted and blotched with shades of brown to form a cap at the larger end; oval; about 25 x 19 mm. Incubation: about 16 days; probably by female only.
Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 9 - 13 days. Fed by both parents.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Genus conventionally placed in thrush family (Turdidae) on basis of largely terrestrial lifestyle, upright posture and associated morphology, but subsequently shown to have different syringeal structure. Studies of DNA-DNA hybridization indicate that it belongs with present family.
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