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. Acanthizidae
  4. ›
  5. Acanthiza
  6. ›
  7. Slaty-backed Thornbill
Slaty-backed Thornbill
Photo · (c) Thomas Mesaglio, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Slaty-backed Thornbill

Acanthiza robustirostrisMilligan, 1903

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Acanthizidae
Genus
Acanthiza

At a glance

The Slaty-backed Thornbill is a tiny bird, about 10–12 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
10–12 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Slaty-backed Thornbill look like?

The Slaty-backed Thornbill is a tiny bird, about 10–12 cm long and weighing 5–7 g.

The slaty-backed thornbill is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is endemic to Australia.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
10–12 cm
Weight
4.8–6.8 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Slaty-backed Thornbill?

The Slaty-backed Thornbill 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 Slaty-backed Thornbill eat?

The Slaty-backed Thornbill feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

The BirdUp app

Log your next Slaty-backed Thornbill 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 Slaty-backed Thornbill live in Australia?

The Slaty-backed Thornbill is endemic to Australia, recorded across 28 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingSouth WA to south-west QLD (west-central to east-central Australia)

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Non-breeding
  • Vagrant
  • Resident

6 regions recorded