Australia
SpeciesField NotesLog inDownload

Field notes

Stay in the loop

Get updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

By subscribing, I agree to receive BirdUp Australia updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

Australia
Download for iOSDownload for AndroidSpeciesField NotesRSSNewsletterBrandPrivacyTerms

BirdUp Australia Pty Ltd © 2026. Made in Australia for Australian birders.

  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Locustellidae
  4. ›
  5. Cincloramphus
  6. ›
  7. Brown Songlark
Brown Songlark
Photo · (c) dhfischer, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Brown Songlark

Cincloramphus cruralis(Vigors & Horsfield, 1827)

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Locustellidae
Genus
Cincloramphus

At a glance

The Brown Songlark is a medium-sized bird, about 19–25 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
19–25 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Brown Songlark look like?

The Brown Songlark is a medium-sized bird, about 19–25 cm long and weighing 28–81 g.

The brown songlark, also Australian songlark, is a small passerine bird found throughout much of Australia. A member of the family Locustellidae, this species is notable for sexual size dimorphism, among the most pronounced in any bird. It is a moderate-sized bird of nondescript plumage; the female brownish above and paler below, the larger male a darker brown.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
19–25 cm
Weight
28.4–81.3 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Brown Songlark?

The Brown Songlark 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

Thomas Mesaglio · Arthursleigh Farm property, New South Wales

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Brown Songlark eat?

The Brown Songlark feeds on seeds and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

5 photos

The BirdUp app

Log your next Brown Songlark in the field

A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.

Get the appRead field notes
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report incorrect info

02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Brown Songlark live in Australia?

The Brown Songlark is endemic to Australia, recorded across 77 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingAustralia (except far north and Tasmania), breeding mostly in south

Non-breedingTo central Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Vagrant
  • Breeding

8 regions recorded