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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Corcoracidae
  4. ›
  5. Struthidea
  6. ›
  7. Apostlebird
Apostlebird
Photo · (c) Josh, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Apostlebird

Struthidea cinereaGould, 1837

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Corcoracidae
Genus
Struthidea

At a glance

The Apostlebird is a medium-sized bird, about 29–33 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
29–33 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does an Apostlebird look like?

The Apostlebird is a medium-sized bird, about 29–33 cm long and weighing 110–160 g.

The apostlebird, also known as the grey jumper, lousy jack or happy family, is a quick-moving, gray or black bird about 33 cm (13 in) long. It is a native to Australia where it roams woodlands, eating insects and seeds at, or near, ground level. Apostlebirds often travel in groups of about 12; for this reason, they were named after the 12 Biblical apostles.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
29–33 cm
Weight
110–160 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see an Apostlebird?

The Apostlebird is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

jstarspots · Neilson St, Crows Nest, QLD, AU

Call

jstarspots · Neilson St, Crows Nest, QLD, AU

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does an Apostlebird eat?

The Apostlebird feeds on seeds, terrestrial invertebrates and terrestrial vertebrates, usually foraging in flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

The BirdUp app

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Apostlebird live in Australia?

The Apostlebird is endemic to Australia, recorded across 45 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning north-central and east-central Australia.

BreedingNorth-central and east-central Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Vagrant

8 regions recorded