Northern Shrike-tit

1. Bold black and white head pattern 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 distinctive bark-tearing feeding behaviour

Northern Shrike-tits feed mainly on insects and other invertebrates found beneath bark, occasionally using twigs as tools to extract prey from crevices. Their breeding biology is not well documented, but nest-building has been observed in September and October, with a single clutch recorded in late January. Nests are deep cups woven from grass and bark strips, bound with spider web and lined with fine bark. Both parents likely share incubation and feeding duties, as in related shrike-tit species. The typical clutch size is 2-3 eggs.

Northern Shrike-tits inhabit the subcanopy and canopy of tropical eucalyptus woodlands, especially in areas dominated by Darwin box, roughleaf cabbage gum, and Darwin woollybutt. They are found only in the Top End of the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. These birds are usually seen in pairs or small groups, foraging 6–15 meters above ground. They are most vocal and easiest to detect during October, when their clear, repeated whistles carry through the woodland`.`