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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Atrichornithidae
  4. ›
  5. Atrichornis
  6. ›
  7. Rufous Scrubbird
Rufous Scrubbird
Photo · John Gould (1804-1881)

BirdUp · Species

Rufous Scrubbird

Atrichornis rufescens(Ramsay, EP, 1866)

Updated 11 June 2026

Also known asWoorail

Conservation status: EndangeredOrigin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Atrichornithidae
Genus
Atrichornis

At a glance

The Rufous Scrubbird is a small bird, about 17–19 cm long, listed as Endangered and endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
17–19 cm
Conservation status
Endangered
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Rare
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Rufous Scrubbird look like?

The Rufous Scrubbird is a small bird, about 17–19 cm long.

The rufous scrubbird is a bird species in the family Atrichornithidae. It is endemic to Australia.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
17–19 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Rufous Scrubbird?

The Rufous Scrubbird 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

Daniel · Kyogle, AU-NS, AU

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Rufous Scrubbird eat?

The Rufous Scrubbird feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

3 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Rufous Scrubbird live in Australia?

The Rufous Scrubbird is endemic to Australia, recorded across 5 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning east-central Australia.

BreedingEast-central Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident

2 regions recorded