Striated Grasswren

1. Long, upright tail and fast, hopping ground movement.

2. White-streaked red-brown upperparts with a bold black facial stripe.

3. Females have a brighter rufous patch on the flank.

Striated Grasswrens feed mainly on insects like beetles and ants, as well as seeds from spinifex and other plants. They forage by hopping through leaf litter and low vegetation, rarely straying far from cover. Pairs or small family groups are typical. Nests are domed structures built low in dense spinifex. The female incubates the eggs, and both parents feed the chicks. The species is vulnerable to habitat loss from land clearing, frequent wildfires, grazing by introduced herbivores, and predation by cats and foxes.

Look for Striated Grasswrens in regions with extensive spinifex (Triodia) grass, such as sandplains, dunes, and stony hills. Their range extends across northern South Australia, central and southwestern New South Wales, northwest Victoria, and southern and eastern South Australia. They are most likely to be seen in older spinifex stands, typically 6 to 4 years after fire, in mallee woodland or shrubland. These birds are best searched for early or late in the day, when they are most active and vocal.