Orange Chat

1. Males have bright orange-yellow plumage with a distinctive black face mask and throat

2. All Orange Chats have reddish-brown or orange-red eyes, unlike other chat species

3. Listen for their high-pitched metallic rasp or single chirp in flight

Orange Chats breed opportunistically between August and November, sometimes nesting three or more times when conditions are favourable, or not at all during drought. Their neat cup-shaped nests are built low to the ground in shrubs like saltbush or samphire. Males defend both territory and their mates, and both parents feed the young after hatching.

Look for Orange Chats in Australia's arid and semi-arid interior, particularly around salt lakes and saltpans with samphire, saltbush, or bluebush vegetation. They're typically found foraging on the ground or perched on low shrubs, especially in the early morning. These nomadic birds often appear in small flocks, sometimes mixing with other chat species or Zebra Finches. A helpful tip: scan the tops of low shrubs where they often perch briefly after being flushed from the ground.