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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Acanthizidae
  4. ›
  5. Pyrrholaemus
  6. ›
  7. Redthroat
Redthroat
Photo · (c) Alan Bell, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Redthroat

Pyrrholaemus brunneusGould, 1841

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Acanthizidae
Genus
Pyrrholaemus

At a glance

The Redthroat is a tiny bird, about 11–13 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
11–13 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Redthroat look like?

The Redthroat is a tiny bird, about 11–13 cm long and weighing 7–18 g.

The redthroat is a small, mostly ground-dwelling species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is endemic to Australia, occurring mostly in arid and semi-arid areas containing acacia and chenopod shrublands. The species has a distinctive red throat patch and is able to mimic the calls of numerous other bird species.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
11–13 cm
Weight
7–18 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Redthroat?

The Redthroat 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

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Redthroat eat?

The Redthroat feeds on seeds and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or flocks or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Redthroat live in Australia?

The Redthroat is endemic to Australia, recorded across 38 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingWest-central WA to south-west QLD and south-west NSW (south-west and south-central Australia)

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident

6 regions recorded