Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi Scientific name definitions

Male 19–21 cm, 30–42 g; female 17–18 cm, 25–27 g. Rather insignificant sylviid, resembling a pipit (Anthus) but with bright rusty rump, tail graduated towards tip. Plumage is warm buffy brown above , crown warmer brown and with blackish-brown shaft streaks; weak paler supercilium extending to base of bill, enhanced by warmer brown upper ear-coverts and greyish loral mark; nape and side of head unmarked or nearly so, mantle, back and scapulars with blackish-brown feather centres forming bold stripes; rump and uppertail-coverts bright rusty brown (conspicuous on rising), latter with dark feather centres; wings warm brown with darker brown feather centres, tail blackish-brown with rusty feather edges; throat dull whitish, shading into very pale buffy grey of remainder of underparts, which are unmarked except for weak dark spotting at breast sides (can show as narrow necklace of spotting); iris dark brown; bill pale horn with darker brown culmen, becoming black on breeding-condition male; legs brownish-flesh. Distinguished from similar female C. cruralis by distinctive bright rusty rump. Sexes similar in plumage, male considerably larger than female. Juvenile is similar to adult, but has band of streaking across breast, legs brighter.

Australia, except most of Cape York Peninsula, Tasmania and arid interior of W: breeds S from 20° S (but chiefly S of Tropic of Capricorn) in SW Western Australia and in SE; non-breeding across much of interior and N parts of Australia.

Lightly wooded grassland, savanna and scrubby farmland, all with scattering of tall trees. Normally shuns both barren treeless habitats and dense forest, but on Nullarbor Plains found in shrubby depressions (known as “dongas”).

Strongly migratory or nomadic; local breeding numbers fluctuate from year to year, suggesting a degree of nomadism. Leaves breeding areas between Dec and Feb and disperses over N interior, from N parts of Western Australia E to C Queensland, but very rare along extremities of Arnhem Land and Cape York and on Pacific coast E of Great Dividing Range. Some remain on breeding grounds in S throughout year.

Most of diet consists of small invertebrates, including spiders (Araneae) and a wide variety of insects and their larvae; various small seeds also taken. Forages either alone or in dispersed parties, running and walking between grass tussocks; takes food items while walking on ground. If flushed, flies away with deep undulations.

Male song , from perch or in flight, uttered all day long in breeding season, an almost metallic grinding and squealing series of reels with sudden whip-like first syllable, can be rendered as “wit-cher, wit-cher, wit-cher-wichy-weedle”; when from perch, song usually consists of a long, falling trill, often finishing with explosive “wichy-weedle”. Calls include scolding rattle and sharp “tik”. Silent and unobtrusive after breeding.

Aug–Feb, in S New South Wales chiefly Oct–Dec; sometimes two broods. Strongly polygamous, some males mating with three or more females, and quite pugnacious and persistent in chasing away other males that approach territories. Male song delivered from tops of scattered tall trees or from fence post, termite mound or rock outcrop, also in circling flight between various perches in territory. Nest constructed by female alone, a cup of woven grasses, lined with finer grasses or hair, and sometimes sparsely domed, externally 11·5 cm wide and 7·5 cm deep, internally 6 cm wide and 5 cm deep; well hidden on ground among dense herbage, at base of grass tuft or partially concealed by fallen branch or log. Clutch 3 or 4 eggs; incubation by female alone; no information on incubation and nestling periods.

Not globally threatened. Locally quite common; rare and local along Pacific coast E of Great Divide. Owing to somewhat nomadic existence, more abundant at certain localities in some years than in others; one study in New South Wales, covering 1963–1971, suggested an alternating two-year cycle of abundance, one pair having territory of 4 ha, four pairs sharing same territory in the following year, but reverting to one pair in next year, and so on. Sporadic breeding can occur outside main regions when conditions are suitable, e.g. nesting reported exceptionally in N Western Australia. In contrast to breeding season, when males very vocal and conspicuous, this species becomes remarkably silent and unobtrusive, and is thus easily overlooked, when nesting season is over.