Photo: Summerdrought / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Spinifexbird
Poodytes carteri
Spinifexbird (Poodytes carteri) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Spinifexbird (Poodytes carteri) is a member of the Locustellidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 12.2 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 Locustellidae Grassbirds & Allies
- Genus Poodytes
- Species carteri
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Locustellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spinifexbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Spinifexbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Spinifexbird (Poodytes carteri) is a member of the Locustellidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU nw WA to nw QLD (nc Australia).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.2 g, with a wing length of about 5.4 cm and a tail of around 6.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spinifexbird?
The Spinifexbird is a very small bird that weighs around 12.2 g.
Where does the Spinifexbird live?
The Spinifexbird is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU nw WA to nw QLD (nc Australia), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Spinifexbird belong to?
The Spinifexbird (Poodytes carteri) belongs to the Locustellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Spinifexbird eat?
The Spinifexbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Spinifexbird migrate?
The Spinifexbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Spinifexbird 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 Spinifexbird make?
1 real field recording of the Spinifexbird — 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 Spinifexbird's range?
The Spinifexbird has a mapped global range of about 1.9 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.
Explore more birds
More in Locustellidae
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
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.