Red-browed Pardalote Pardalotus rubricatus Scientific name definitions

9–11·5 cm; 9–14 g. Tiny, attractively patterned passerine with short square-cut tail and short deep bill. Male nominate race has black cap with distinct white spots, pale buff forehead leading on to creamy superciliary stripe with red spot near bill, rather indistinct thin dark eyestripe; neck side and upperparts fawn-brown with thin dark shaft streaks, rump unstreaked yellow-brown, lower rump and uppertail-coverts ­yellowish with dark shaft streaks; upperwing blackish, feathers broadly edged yellow (forming broad yellow panel), edges of remiges and tertials white distally; uppertail black, narrowly tipped white; throat and underparts creamy, yellow patch on breast; iris straw-coloured to brownish-yellow; bill dark grey, contrasting whitish cutting edges and lower mandible; legs grey to blue-grey or brown. Sexes similar. Juvenile is duller than adult, has dull yellow-brown crown with darker scalloping, less pronounced supercilium, yellow wash over entire underside. Races differ mainly in plumage tones: yorki has darker and more heavily patterned back and more pronounced yellow rump than nominate, also deeper yellow in wing.

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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.

Wide range of woodlands and open forests, especially riparian woodland dominated by eucalypts (Eucalyptus). More likely than congeners to use woodlands dominated by non-eucalypts, especially acacia (Acacia) low woodland.

Little known; resident in much of range.

Diet poorly known; consists mainly of invertebrates. Arboreal; forages mostly in foliage, typically of eucalypts, but also including other plants. Sometimes feeds on the ground. Usually singly, in pairs, or in small groups of up to five or six individuals; often forages with P. striatus.

Loud ­simple song of 2–6 syllables, “do doo-doo-doo-doo-doo”, lasting 1–2 seconds, quite melo­dious, often with first note lower and longer than others.

Recorded in all months, mostly Aug–Oct. Nest built by both sexes, cup-shaped and substantial, mostly of bark, lining of grass stems and other finer material, placed in chamber at end of narrow tunnel excavated in ground, typically in eroded bank of creek, tunnel length 45–120 cm, chamber c. 10 cm × 10 cm; occasionally in tree hollow. Clutch usually 3–4 eggs, white; incubation and brood-feeding by both sexes; no information on duration of incubation and fledging periods.

Not globally threatened. Generally common throughout its extensive range. Can be elusive; often detected more readily by means of its voice than by direct observation. Present in many protected areas.