- Amytornis striatus
Identification
14-19cm
- Upperparts soft reddish-brown with white streaks
- Underparts buff with heavy white streaking on the breast
- Rufous eyebrow
- Black whisker-streak
- White throat.
- Blackish-brown tail
- Black bill
- Bluish-grey legs
Female has pale chestnut flanks
Immature individuals are slightly duller
Distribution
Endemic to Australia.
Widespread throughout Australia's Outback including central Western Australia, southern parts of the Northern Territory, southwestern Queensland, western New South Wales and much of South Australia. The range is not continuous.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Formerly included Opalton Grasswren, Rufous Grasswren and Short-tailed Grasswren.
Habitat
Open mallee over shrubs, ground and sand dunes dominated by spinifex.
Behaviour
Skilled at hiding and keep growth between themselves and any observer, so the chance of finding is remote. Occasionally in spring breeding will be sighted while singing.
Breeding
The female builds a domed nest out of dry grasses and bark, lined with fur, soft vegetation or feathers. The 2-3 eggs are incubated for two weeks; the young leave the nest two weeks later.
Diet
The diet includes seeds, insects and spiders.
Vocalisation
High, scratchy trills, "chweep, chweep" for contact and "tsee, tsee". In alarm, "tzirr". Also musical notes "tsee-tsee, piew-piew"
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- BirdLife International.
- Field Guide to Australian Birds - Michael Morcombe
- nsw.gov.au
- Birdforum thread discussing taxonomy of Grasswrens
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Striated Grasswren. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 February 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Striated_Grasswren