The mountain thornbill is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is endemic to Australia.
Region
Wet Tropics of Queensland, northeastern Australia
Typical Environment
Occurs primarily in upland and montane rainforests, with occasional use of adjacent wet sclerophyll forest and dense vine thickets. It favors interior and edge habitats with a layered canopy and abundant epiphytes. Birds move through midstory to subcanopy strata, often following tangles of vines and mossy branches. The species has a relatively small geographic range confined to the Wet Tropics bioregion but can be locally common where habitat is intact.
Altitude Range
400–1400 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Mountain Thornbill is a tiny, active insect-hunter found only in the upland rainforests of northeastern Queensland, Australia. It forages nimbly among foliage and vines and often joins mixed-species flocks. Like other thornbills, it builds a domed nest with a side entrance, woven from fine plant fibers and spider silk. Its high, thin calls can be hard to locate in dense rainforest.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically found in pairs or small family groups and frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks with other small insectivores. Pairs hold territories in suitable upland forest. Nests are domed with a side entrance, usually placed low to mid-level in dense vegetation. Breeding is monogamous, and helpers may occasionally assist at nests as in other thornbills.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
High, thin trills and sharp tsee notes delivered in short sequences. Calls carry through the understory but can be ventriloquial, making the bird tricky to pinpoint.
Plumage
Olive-brown to olive-green upperparts with paler gray-buff underparts and a slightly warmer wash on the flanks. Fine, neat feathering with a subtly streaked or mottled crown. Overall impression is soft-toned and well camouflaged for rainforest foliage.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small arthropods such as insects, larvae, and spiders, gleaned from leaves, twigs, and vine tangles. It probes into clusters of leaves and beneath bark flakes, often hanging acrobatically to reach prey. Occasional ingestion of small seeds or nectar may occur but is not a major component of the diet.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the midstory to subcanopy of dense rainforest, especially where epiphytes, mosses, and vines are abundant. Edges and light gaps are used when insect activity is high, and birds often follow mixed flocks along forest strata.
