Shy Heathwren
Encyclopedia
The Shy Heathwren is a species of small bird
in the Acanthizidae
family, endemic to Australia
. They inhabit mostly mallee
woodland that has relatively dense shrub and heath
understorey. Shy Heathwrens feed mostly on ground dwelling insects; rarely on seeds. Their ground level nests are dome-shaped and usually concealed within grass tussocks or shrubs. Within the nest they typically lay 2-3 freckled and pinkish eggs.
The birds are cock-tailed bird with a chestnut rump that darkens towards the tip. Their feathers are white with brown streaking underneath and greyish-brown on the back and crown. They have a white eyebrow, tail tip and patch on the flight feather
s and a black bill
. Their eyes are brown to yellowish-brown and legs are slate-brown. Females have slightly duller colouring, and immature birds duller again with some of these being fawn coloured underneath.
They are uncommon residents across a wide part of Australia. Ranging from near West Wyalong
in New South Wales
to the Murchison River
in Western Australia
. In New South Wales they are found in two isolated populations - one between Leeton
, Willandra, New South Wales
, Nymagee and West Wyalong, and the other from Balranald
to Trentham Cliffs
. Within the state they are seen as a threatened and vulnerable species, largely due to human wrought habitat loss
and predation
by foxes and cats.
Their taxonomic
name was formerly Calamanthus cautus—classing them as fieldwrens— until they were renamed in 2008.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Acanthizidae
Acanthizidae
The Acanthizidae, also known as the Australasian warblers, are a family of passerine birds which include gerygones, thornbills, and scrubwrens. The Acanthizidae consists of small to medium passerine birds, with a total length varying between 8 and 19 cm. They have short rounded wings, slender...
family, endemic to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They inhabit mostly mallee
Mallee (habit)
Mallee is the growth habit of certain eucalypt species that grow with multiple stems springing from an underground lignotuber, usually to a height of no more than ten metres...
woodland that has relatively dense shrub and heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
understorey. Shy Heathwrens feed mostly on ground dwelling insects; rarely on seeds. Their ground level nests are dome-shaped and usually concealed within grass tussocks or shrubs. Within the nest they typically lay 2-3 freckled and pinkish eggs.
The birds are cock-tailed bird with a chestnut rump that darkens towards the tip. Their feathers are white with brown streaking underneath and greyish-brown on the back and crown. They have a white eyebrow, tail tip and patch on the flight feather
Flight feather
Flight feathers are the long, stiff, asymmetrically shaped, but symmetrically paired feathers on the wings or tail of a bird; those on the wings are called remiges while those on the tail are called rectrices . Their primary function is to aid in the generation of both thrust and lift, thereby...
s and a black bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
. Their eyes are brown to yellowish-brown and legs are slate-brown. Females have slightly duller colouring, and immature birds duller again with some of these being fawn coloured underneath.
They are uncommon residents across a wide part of Australia. Ranging from near West Wyalong
West Wyalong, New South Wales
West Wyalong is a town in New South Wales, Australia which is the main town of the Bland Shire, located in the Central West region of New South Wales. It is located 467 km west of Sydney. It is located on the crossroads of the Newell Highway between Melbourne and Brisbane, and the Mid-Western...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to the Murchison River
Murchison River (Western Australia)
The Murchison River is the second longest river in Western Australia. It flows for about from the southern edge of the Robinson Ranges to the Indian Ocean at Kalbarri. It has a mean annual flow of about 200 million cubic metres.-Course:...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. In New South Wales they are found in two isolated populations - one between Leeton
Leeton, New South Wales
Leeton is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Leeton is situated approximately 550 km west of Sydney and 450 km north of Melbourne in the productive Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. Leeton is administered by Leeton Shire Council...
, Willandra, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Nymagee and West Wyalong, and the other from Balranald
Balranald, New South Wales
Balranald is a town and local government area in the Riverina district of New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census the population was 1,216....
to Trentham Cliffs
Trentham Cliffs, New South Wales
Trentham Cliffs is a locality in New South Wales, Australia, located approximately 10km north-east of Mildura, Victoria.-References:...
. Within the state they are seen as a threatened and vulnerable species, largely due to human wrought habitat loss
Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
and predation
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
by foxes and cats.
Their taxonomic
Alpha taxonomy
Alpha taxonomy is the discipline concerned with finding, describing and naming species of living or fossil organisms. This field is supported by institutions holding collections of these organisms, with relevant data, carefully curated: such institutes include natural history museums, herbaria and...
name was formerly Calamanthus cautus—classing them as fieldwrens— until they were renamed in 2008.
Other references
- BirdLife International 2004. Hylacola cauta. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 26 July 2007.