Western Bristlebird Dasyornis longirostris Scientific name definitions
- EN Endangered
- Names (19)
- Monotypic
Text last updated April 28, 2013
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Species names in all available languages
Language | Common name |
---|---|
Catalan | becfilós occidental |
Croatian | biserasta brkašica |
Dutch | Westelijke borstelvogel |
English | Western Bristlebird |
English (United States) | Western Bristlebird |
French | Dasyorne à long bec |
French (Canada) | Dasyorne à long bec |
German | Tüpfelborstenvogel |
Japanese | ハシナガヒゲムシクイ |
Norwegian | vestbørstefugl |
Polish | kolcopiórek mały |
Russian | Сероголовая щетинкоклювка |
Serbian | Zapadna čekinjarka |
Slovak | štetinár malý |
Spanish | Picocerdas Occidental |
Spanish (Spain) | Picocerdas occidental |
Swedish | västlig borstsmyg |
Turkish | Batılı Bıyıklıkuş |
Ukrainian | Щетинкодзьоб західний |
Dasyornis longirostris Gould, 1841
Definitions
- DASYORNIS
- longirostre / longirostris
- Longirostris
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Field Identification
c. 17 cm; 26–39 g. The smallest bristlebird ; stout body, short rounded wings, longish graduated and often ragged tail, and medium-length slightly decurved sturdy bill. Has lores, malar area and diffuse supercilium off-white to grey-white with faint dark flecking, eyering off-white (more obvious behind eye), ear-coverts light brown with fine whitish streaking; top of head dark brown with pale mottling, upperparts dark brown, with more extensive large pale mottles obvious on mantle, merging to rufous-washed dark brown lower back and rump, and rufous-brown uppertail-coverts; upperwing rufous-brown, remiges dark-tipped and tertials dark-centred; uppertail olive-brown, rectrices with rufous margins; neck side grey-brown with dark brown scalloping; breast light brownish-grey, warmer brown at side, and finely scalloped dark, centre of belly off-white, shading to warm brown on flanks and side of belly, all finely scalloped dark brown; underwing brownish-grey; iris brick-red or red-brown; bill dark grey, creamy-pink base of lower mandible, cream or pale grey gape; legs grey or dirty pink. Sexes similar. Juvenile is similar to adult, but lacks mottling on upperparts and scalloping on underparts.
Systematics History
Subspecies
Distribution
Coastal SW Western Australia between Two Peoples Bay and Waychinicup, and in Fitzgerald River National Park. Small translocated population near Walpole (W of Albany) may now be extinct.
Habitat
Dense closed coastal heathland, and more open heath where dense clumps or thickets present. Heaths are floristically diverse and 0·5–1·5 m tall, with species of Banksia (including B. baxteri, B. coccinea, B. dryandroides and B. attenuata), paperbarks (Melaleuca), Hakea species, tea-trees (Leptospermum), Dryandra, dwarf sheoak (Allocasuarina humilis), basket-flower (Adenanthos) and Lambertia; often with abundant sedges such as Gahnia, Cyathochaete, Lepidosperma and sword-sedge (Anarthria) growing between shrubs, also with grass-trees (Xanthorrhoea). Several species of dwarf eucalypt (Eucalyptus) may grow as emergents, including mallee, dwarf jarrah and marri 2–4 m tall. Sometimes found in heathland below eucalypt stands, also along densely vegetated drainage lines in more open heath.
Movement
Sedentary; some local movement, especially after bush fires. One pair colonized a site at Two Peoples Bay more than 2·5 km from nearest population. One ringing recovery was within the individual’s home range.
Diet and Foraging
Invertebrates and seeds, but few detailed data. Seeds include those of Anarthria scabra, Daviesia and Acacia; invertebrates include beetle larvae and adults (Coleoptera), hymenopterans and orthopterans, also earthworms (Oligochaeta) and snails (Gastropoda). Forages usually singly or in pairs in dense vegetation, sometimes in the open if undisturbed. Walks or hops slowly through vegetation, gleaning from foliage; makes occasional short dashes for distances of c. 50 cm. Feeds on or near ground, among leaf litter, on open ground or from foliage. Active, pecking at ground or probing with bill with quick jerky movements, pivoting on feet as it turns from side to side; sweeps aside leaves by moving bill from side to side.
Sounds and Vocal Behavior
Vocalizations loud and distinctive, throughout year, less frequent over summer and most intense in winter and spring. Song, usually from dense cover but at times from shrub top, a sweet, penetrating “chee tiddly-too chip wee too” series with many variations, also a softer throaty song phrase of shorter duration; song apparently to maintain contact between pair or group-members, and advertises home range, with one song type used in territorial disputes; both sexes sing , and duetting frequent. Varies geographically: in Fitzgerald River National Park home-range calls often end with trill, whereas at Two Peoples Bay only very weak trill heard and then only very rarely. During foraging soft “chit” or “zit” calls as contact.
Breeding
Poorly known, and few records. Season Jul–Oct/Nov; single-brooded. Possibly pairs for life, partners spending much time together, but confirmation required. Territory occupied all year. Large nest domed or globular, with large entrance hole on side near top, loosely built from rushes and sedges, as well as twigs and coarse grass stalks, unlined or with soft fibre lining, for four nests average length 12 cm, width 10 cm and height 12 cm; placed 10–60 cm above ground and well hidden among or under overhanging vegetation, usually in sedge clump, sometimes in shrub (e.g. Banksia) or in vines; home range c. 6–8 ha, with pair spending much time in core area (presumably territory) of 1–3 ha. Clutch almost always 2 eggs, dull pale brown, sometimes almost white, with numerous purplish-brown to reddish spots and blotches, particularly at larger end, 24 × 18·6 mm; no information on incubation and nesting periods; young stays with adults after fledging, may be independent by Jan. Normally only one egg hatches; claimed that sometimes only one of the eggs is fertile.
Conservation Status
ENDANGERED. CITES I. Restricted-range species: present in South-west Australia EBA. Formerly categorized as Endangered. After its initial discovery on Swan R, near Perth, in 1839, was found there again in 1880s, and small colony was located near Wilson’s Inlet in 1907 but seemingly destroyed by fire in 1914; species then disappeared until 1945, when discovered at Two Peoples Bay in what is still the heartland. Total population in 2000 estimated at 1300–2000 breeding birds, in six subpopulations; largest is of c. 1000 individuals between Two Peoples Bay and Waychinicup , with c. 300 in Fitzgerald River National Park. Density estimated at c. 0·1–0·3 birds/ha in good habitat; 12 pairs in c. 80 ha at Mt Gardner. At least 125 pairs present in Fitzgerald River National Park, but not all suitable habitat in the park has been surveyed. In 2001 there were 509 individuals giving home-range type of calls in Two Peoples Bay-Mt Manypeaks area, but by 2006 this had declined to 202, largely as a result of a series of extensive wildfires (number of birds giving home-range call type is an index of number of pairs, but accuracy of method not known). Habitat destruction has had dire effect on this species and its congeners. Particularly vulnerable to fire damage; increased burning and drainage associated with land settlement have caused range contractions. In some areas where regular burning occurs at intervals of less than 5–10 years, allowing insufficient time for vegetation to recover, there have been local extinctions. In areas of infrequent burning, populations are able to move to nearby unburnt area, but large-scale unchecked bush fires remain a serious danger. May be vulnerable to human disturbance when nesting, but much of its habitat is, fortunately, too dense to permit easy access. Heath clearance and swamp drainage were threats during early years of settlement, but have now largely ceased. In attempts to establish satellite populations, translocation work was initiated, with eight individuals from Two Peoples Bay transferred to Walpole-Nornalup National Park (W of Albany) in 1999, and a further seven in spring 2000; although area was burnt in bush fires in 2001 at least seven birds survived, but only one located by 2003. At least one other apparently suitable translocation site exists in Walpole area, and there are plans to carry out a further translocation, possibly in 2007.
- Year-round
- Migration
- Breeding
- Non-Breeding