Eastern Shrike-tit

1. Bold black and white head with olive-green back and yellow underparts

2. Males have a black throat; females have an olive-green throat

3. Short, heavy, hooked bill and bark-tearing feeding behaviour

Eastern Shrike-tits feed mainly on insects and other invertebrates found beneath bark, occasionally supplementing their diet with fruits and seeds. They are known for their tool use, sometimes using twigs to extract insects from crevices. Breeding occurs from August to January, with the possibility of two broods in the season. The nest is built high in a fork of a eucalypt tree by the female, with both parents sharing incubation and feeding duties. The typical clutch size is two to three eggs, and the incubation period lasts about 15–2 days, with young birds remaining in the nest for around 17 days.

Eastern Shrike-tits inhabit the canopy and subcanopy of eucalyptus forests and woodlands, often in areas with stringybarks or other trees with peeling bark. They are found from northeastern Queensland through New South Wales and Victoria to southeastern South Australia. These birds are usually seen alone, in pairs, or small family groups, often foraging 6–15 meters above ground and can be located by their distinctive bark-stripping sounds or their repeated, descending whistle`.`