Photo: Aviceda / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chestnut-crowned Babbler
Pomatostomus ruficeps
Chestnut-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus ruficeps) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 5 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus ruficeps) is a member of the Pomatostomidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 57.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Pomatostomidae Australasian Babblers
- Genus Pomatostomus
- Species ruficeps
Where it lives
Eastern WA to southwestern QLD and western NSW (east-central Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 57.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pomatostomidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus ruficeps) is a species of bird in the Pomatostomidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU e WA to sw QLD and w NSW (ec Australia).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 57.8 g, with a wing length of about 8.6 cm and a tail of around 8.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chestnut-crowned Babbler?
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 57.8 g.
Where does the Chestnut-crowned Babbler live?
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU e WA to sw QLD and w NSW (ec Australia), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Chestnut-crowned Babbler belong to?
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus ruficeps) belongs to the Pomatostomidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chestnut-crowned Babbler eat?
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Chestnut-crowned Babbler migrate?
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Chestnut-crowned Babbler endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Chestnut-crowned Babbler make?
1 real field recording of the Chestnut-crowned Babbler — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Chestnut-crowned Babbler's range?
The Chestnut-crowned Babbler has a mapped global range of about 1.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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