Photo: Mathews, 1911 / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Slender-billed Thornbill
Acanthiza iredalei
Slender-billed Thornbill (Acanthiza iredalei) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Slender-billed Thornbill (Acanthiza iredalei) is a member of the Acanthizidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 6 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 Acanthizidae Australasian Warblers
- Genus Acanthiza
- Species iredalei
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Acanthizidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Slender-billed Thornbill 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 Slender-billed Thornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Slender-billed Thornbill (Acanthiza iredalei) is a species of bird in the Acanthizidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU wc to sc Australia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6 g, with a wing length of about 4.8 cm and a tail of around 3.9 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 987,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Slender-billed Thornbill?
The Slender-billed Thornbill is a very small bird that weighs around 6 g.
Where does the Slender-billed Thornbill live?
The Slender-billed Thornbill is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU wc to sc Australia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Slender-billed Thornbill belong to?
The Slender-billed Thornbill (Acanthiza iredalei) belongs to the Acanthizidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Slender-billed Thornbill eat?
The Slender-billed Thornbill is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Slender-billed Thornbill migrate?
The Slender-billed Thornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Slender-billed Thornbill 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 Slender-billed Thornbill make?
1 real field recording of the Slender-billed Thornbill — 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 Slender-billed Thornbill's range?
The Slender-billed Thornbill has a mapped global range of about 987,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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