Eyrean grasswren
| Eyrean grasswren | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Maluridae |
| Genus: | Amytornis |
| Species: | A. goyderi |
| Binomial name | |
|
Amytornis goyderi (Gould, 1875) |
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| Distribution of the Eyrean grasswren in Australia | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Goyder’s grasswren (obsolete) |
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Goyder’s grasswren (obsolete)
The Eyrean grasswren (Amytornis goyderi) is a small grasswren from the Passerine family Maluridae. This is a cryptically plumaged and uncommon bird endemic to arid regions of Central Australia. The species was discovered by F.W. Andrews in 1874 around the Macumba River at Lake Eyre, and named after the South Australian Surveyor General George Woodroffe Goyder.
At 14-16.5 cm in length, Amytornis goyderi is the smallest grasswren. It has a deep, finch-like bill. There are some minor differences between sexes, and between populations across the distribution.
The head is reddish with bold white streaks, neck and upper body dull to bright rufous-brown, streaked with fine dark and white lines. The face is mainly white except for the rufous forehead, white lores and a thin partial white eye-ring beneath the eye; and sometimes a rufous fore-supercilium. Black and white ear coverts separate the dark head parts from the off-white chin and throat. The tail is dark grey-brown with off-white shafts and light brown fringes. Upperwings are also dark grey-brown, but with prominent white shafts and narrow rufous-brown fringes to the secondary coverts and tertials; and fine light brown edges to the other remiges, producing rufous-brown patches when the wing is folded. The underbody is white with buff-brown wash on the flanks through to the legs and underside of tail. The bill is light grey to blue-grey with a darker grey culmen, and the iris is dark to olive-brown. The legs and feet are purplish to dark grey.
Identical to males but the flanks are a brighter rufous-brown, and not as distinctly pale compared to the upperparts. The legs may be a slightly paler grey with stronger purplish tinge. Females are slightly smaller overall and have a finer bill.
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