Quite interesting. I mentioned to Julie that I had a pic from many years ago of recently fledged LGBs that had very plain underparts, so much so that you would
have taken them for young reed-warblers if they were not being tended by adult grassbirds. The illustrations in both HANZAB and the Aust Bird Guide show juvenile grassbirds with plain breasts. Might I venture as a generalisation that many Australian passerine
species have juveniles with strong streaking, especially the underparts, and that this contrasts with the general pattern for the Sylvioid Oscines, in which falls the LGB? Far too broad a proposition, I suppose, as you would need to go family by family. If
the general proposition is near the mark, that might be why Birds of the Western Palearctic, unlike HANZAB, includes few juvenile illustrations – ‘first winter’ birds where shown are little different from adults. As to ‘our birds’, I am thinking particularly
of our juvenile robins, whistlers and woodswallows. Not directly in point, but at Campbell Park the other morning I was struck by the contrast in streaking between a strongly marked juv Grey Shrike-thrush and a lightly marked adult female Rufous Whistler.
From: Julie Clark [
Sent: Monday, 25 December 2017 9:30 PM
To: COG Chatline
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] ID Please
I hope everyone has had a terrific Christmas Day! (I am currently feeling as one does when one has over-indulged in good food and alcohol ...)
For those interested in the ID of my bird .....
I had 7 replies. 6 suggested Little Grassbird ( 3 suggesting a younger bird) and 1 Reed-warbler. Most of the replies backed up their ID with informative comments which I always really
appreciate.
On the strength of that I'm happy to call it a Little Grassbird (immature).
On Mon, Dec
5, 2017 at 9:21 PM, Julie Clark <> wrote:
I hope you've had a wonderful Christmas Day!
Thanks very much for the ID. I had hoped that my ID was correct and I thought maybe it was a younger bird ... hence lack of more distinctive streaking etc...
Only one person thought it was a reed-warbler, with 5 suggesting little grassbird (2 others suggesting younger bird).
The fact that it perched in the tree confused me.
On Mon, Dec 25, 2017 at 9:24 AM, Mark Clayton <> wrote:
Hi Julie,
I am going to stick my neck out and say your bird is a youngish Little Grassbird. It appears not
to have all the marking that I have noted on adult Little Grassbirds that I have banded, especially on the wings and back. I was once fooled by a photo taken of a LG at Kelly’s Swamp by a colleague where the bird was well up into a tree so they do move in
unusual areas. Recently I have seen Golden-headed Cisticolas in the tops of some quite tall trees and reed warblers regularly move into trees, especially after the breeding season.
I hope that helps.
Merry Christmas and a Happy 2018
Mark
From: Julie
Clark [
Sent: Sunday, 24 December 2017 12:01 PM
To: COG Chatline
Subject: [canberrabirds] ID Please
I saw this bird at Yerrabi Pond this morning. It was hidden by a log in the water ... (probably having a drink as it wasn't
wet) and was with another bird which flew off as I approached. This one flew up into the closest tree. There were reeds no more than 20m away in which I have seen reed-warblers and little grassbirds previously.
I assumed when taking the pics that the bird must be a reed-warbler, but I'm not sure now that I look at the pics. This
bird seems too dark, patterning on wings different to reed-warbler, had its tail raised and behaved differently to a reed-warbler. Having said that I've never seen a little grassbird in a tree before.
It doesn't appear to have streaking on front like a grassbird, but it also seems the wrong colour underneath for a reed-warbler.
(Looks more like a Little Grassbird to me).
A nice simple ID would be very much appreciated!
I'd like to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas and holiday season!
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