Great Shortwing
Heinrichia calligyna
Great Shortwing (Heinrichia calligyna) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Great Shortwing (Heinrichia calligyna) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 26.8 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 Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Heinrichia
- Species calligyna
Quick facts
- Weight
- 26.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great Shortwing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Great Shortwing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Great Shortwing (Heinrichia calligyna) is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane Sulawesi.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 26.8 g, with a wing length of about 8.4 cm and a tail of around 7.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 13,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great Shortwing?
The Great Shortwing is a small bird that weighs around 26.8 g.
Where does the Great Shortwing live?
The Great Shortwing is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane Sulawesi, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Great Shortwing belong to?
The Great Shortwing (Heinrichia calligyna) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Great Shortwing eat?
The Great Shortwing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Great Shortwing migrate?
The Great Shortwing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Great Shortwing 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 Great Shortwing make?
1 real field recording of the Great Shortwing — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Great Shortwing's range?
The Great Shortwing has a mapped global range of about 13,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Muscicapidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.