White-fronted Chat

Images ©:

White-fronted Chat - The State of Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industries/McCann | White-fronted Chat - Bob Winters | White-fronted Chat - Bob Winters | White-fronted Chat - Bob Winters

Epthianura albifrons

The male has a white face and underparts dissected by a distinctive black breastband extending around the back of the head. Back and rump grey with dark brown wings and upper tail-coverts. The female has a grey-brown face and upperparts with a thin breastband. Size 11-13 cm.

Details
Type
Bird
Group
Animals
Honeyeater
Biology

Breeds from July-January. Males and females form pairs at the end of winter while feeding in flocks. The male carefully guards the female and defends a small nest site territory. The female builds a cup nest of grass and twigs in a tussock or low shrub. Both male and female assist with incubation of the eggs and feeding of the young.

Distinctive Markings

The male has a distinctive black, white and grey plumage with a prominent black breastband.

Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Meliphagidae
Genus
Epthianura
Species
albifrons
Southern Australia to Shark Bay, Western Australia, southern Queensland and Tasmania.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

DNA studies have shown that chats are a type of honeyeater.

Interesting Facts
Diet

Omnivore, feeding on small invertebrates including midges, kelp-flies, bugs and beetles. They generally run along the ground picking up food items.

Habitat

Grass clumps, open damp ground, heath, saltmarshes, mangroves, dunes, saltbush plains.

Native Status
Native to Australia
Audio
Audio samples
Sounds
The call is a repeated metallic "tang".