The yellow thornbill, formerly known as the little thornbill, is a tiny passerine bird endemic to the eastern coast of Australia. While currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the general consensus is that the population is decreasing.
Region
Eastern and Southeastern Australia
Typical Environment
Occurs from southeastern Queensland through New South Wales and Victoria into southeastern South Australia, favoring the coastal and subcoastal belt and the slopes of the Great Dividing Range. It occupies open eucalypt forests, woodlands, riparian thickets, and coastal scrub, and readily uses well-vegetated parks and gardens. The species prefers areas with a dense shrub layer or leafy lower canopy for concealment and foraging. It is generally absent from treeless grasslands and the most arid inland habitats.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The yellow thornbill is a tiny Australian passerine that forages nimbly through dense foliage, often joining mixed-species flocks. It builds a neat, domed nest with a side entrance, bound together with spider silk and lined with fine plant fibers. Although still listed as Least Concern, its numbers are thought to be slowly declining due to ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.
Adult yellow thornbill (Acanthiza nana).
Yellow thornbill (Acanthiza nana) feeding young in the nest.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Often forages in small family groups and frequently joins mixed-species flocks with other small insectivores. Pairs nest in dense shrubs or low trees, constructing a domed, side-entrance nest. Some populations show loose cooperative tendencies, with nearby birds occasionally assisting at nests.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a soft series of high, tinkling trills and thin, insect-like notes. Calls are rapid, contact-like chips and twittering phrases that help birds stay in touch while moving through foliage.
Plumage
Olive-brown above with fine scalloped streaking on the crown and mantle; underparts yellow to yellow-olive, paler on the throat. Tail is short with pale tips that can flash in flight. Feathers appear soft and neatly scaled on the upperparts.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small insects and other arthropods, including beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and psyllids. It often gleans lerps and other sugary secretions from leaves. Prey is picked from foliage and twigs, with occasional hover-gleaning and short sallies.
Preferred Environment
Most frequently forages in the lower to mid-story of leafy shrubs and eucalypt canopies. Uses densely vegetated edges, riparian thickets, and suburban gardens with native plantings.
