Tasmanian thornbill Acanthiza ewingii

Tasmanian Thornbill Acanthiza ewingii

Tasmanian Thornbill Brown Thornbill

photos ©; Alan Fletcher Birds in Tasmania

This bird is difficult to distinguish from its relative the Brown Thornbill which also occurs in Tasmania. It is a resident of the wet schlerophyl forests, where the brown thornbill is found in the dry forests. They coexist where their ranges meet without interbreeding. They will often be heard in wet forests. The Tasmanian Thornbill has longer legs, a shorter beak and paler underparts than the Brown Thornbill. The undertail coverts are pure white on this bird, wheras the Brown Thornbill has buff coloured under tail coverts.

The call is a 'zit zit zit whooorl'.