Yellow-rumped Thornbill

1. Bright yellow rump contrasting with a black tail

2. Blackish forehead with bold white spots

3. Larger size and ground-foraging behaviour

Breeding occurs mainly from July to December, with the possibility of multiple broods each season. The nest is a messy, dome-shaped structure built low in shrubs or dense foliage, often with a false cup-shaped section on top to deter predators or cuckoos. Females lay three to four eggs per clutch and are the primary incubators, while both parents and sometimes helpers feed the young. Incubation lasts about 16–18 days, and nestlings fledge after 17–19 days. Yellow-rumped Thornbills are mostly insectivorous, feeding on ants, beetles, bugs, spiders, and occasionally seeds. They are known for their cooperative breeding and can live up to nine years

Yellow-rumped Thornbills are widespread across southern, eastern, and western Australia, including Tasmania, but are absent from far northern regions and some arid central areas. They inhabit open woodlands, grasslands, farms, and urban parks, often foraging in small, lively flocks on the ground or in low shrubs. Look for their bright rump as they flit between patches of grass and their cheerful, twittering calls that carry across open country.