Shy Heathwren Hylacola cauta Scientific name definitions

11·5–14 cm; 15 g. A terrestrial species with prominent white supercilium extending well behind eye, long tail held cocked; rufous base of tail and white in wing obvious in flight. Male nominate race is dark brownish-grey above, reddish-brown wash on rump extending up back, rich chestnut uppertail-coverts; tail blackish, central pair of rectrices tipped ash-grey, remainder with prominent white tip; white patch at base of primaries (usually much more apparent than that of C. pyrrhopygius), white tips of median and greater wing-coverts (forming narrow indistinct wingbars); white below, grey-brown wash on flanks and thighs, dense narrow black streaks from chin and throat to breast and, more diffusely, on belly side and flanks, undertail-coverts conspicuously rich chestnut; iris dark red-brown or yellow-brown; upper mandible blackish with pinkish-brown cutting edges, base of lower mandible pinkish-brown; legs dark grey to grey-brown. Female is similar to male but duller below, centre of belly whitish, and more finely streaked. Juvenile is distinctive, has duller supercilium, unstreaked light brown chin, throat and chest, flanks washed light brown. Race whitlocki is very similar to nominate, but perhaps broader white tips on outer secondary coverts; macrorhynchus has darker upperparts than nominate, breast darker and very heavily streaked dark brown, undertail-coverts darker rufous-brown, female more like nominate male above and more heavily streaked than nominate female below; halmaturinus is most distinctive, with colder dark back, reduced white in wing, and disproportionately short tail.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Prefers dense shrubby or heath understorey in mallee woodland, mallee shrubland or mallee heath in coastal and semi-arid regions, often where spinifex (Triodia) occurs and with dense shrubs such as Banksia, Hakea and Grevillea, also tea-tree (Leptospermum) and cypress pine (Callitris). Found also in some non-mallee formations, such as coastal acacia (Acacia) and saltbush (Atriplex) and bluebush (Maireana) shrublands, and will colonize regenerating mallee stands 1–2 m tall after fires or clearance.

Resident, may make local movements in response to severe drought, but little information.

Insects, also spiders (Araneae) and seeds. Insects recorded in diet include beetles (Coleoptera), flies (Diptera), bugs (Hemiptera), lerp insects (Psyllidae), wasps (Hymenoptera), lepidopterans, orthopterans and ants (Formicidae); seeds taken include those of asters (Asteraceae) and chenopods. Forages singly or in pairs or small family groups; will join mixed feeding flocks with Acanthiza pusilla and Calamanthus campestris. Forages on or close to ground beneath dense vegetation; may emerge on to cleared ground, where it hops about, running rapidly like a mouse (Muridae) when alarmed.

Song a sweet melodious warbling, “chee-chee-chick-a-dee”, repeated; degree of mimicry uncertain. Delightful, very sweet “Whisper song” given from ground, audible to only c. 1 m. Calls include sharp scolding alarm, loud sharp “tchak”, also chattering and hissing notes.

Season Jul–Dec; often double-brooded. Likely to maintain territory in breeding season. Nest a compact dome, with side entrance at ground level (but much variation in size and structure, and may look like a pile of debris), constructed from grass, bark, leaves, rootlets and twigs, lined with feathers, fur, fine grass and plant fibre; placed on or close to ground, well hidden beneath dense vegetation or beneath bark or fallen branch. Clutch 2–4 eggs, usually 3, chocolate-coloured or pale purplish-pink with tiny brown freckles, reportedly similar to those of Pyrrholaemus brunneus; no information on incubation period; chicks brooded by female alone, fed by both sexes, nestling period poorly known, more than 10 days; adults perform injury-feigning distraction displays near nest; fledglings follow parents for up to 8 weeks. Nests parasitized by Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis), Black-eared Cuckoo (Chalcites osculans) and Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo (Chalcites basalis).

Not globally threatened. Fairly common to uncommon, and generally local. Has declined or disappeared in many areas where mallee has been cleared or fragmented; now considered “Near-threatened” in Riverina Region of New South Wales, and also in S Western Australia, where much habitat has been cleared for wheatfields. Fire may be a problem, as are habitat degradation, invasion by non-native plant species, and increased predation by cats and foxes (Vulpes) in areas where habitat fragmented. Occurs in Murray-Sunset National Park.