Striated grasswren
| Striated grasswren | |
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| Striated grasswren, Scotia Station, New South Wales. Source: Dan Eyles. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Maluridae |
| Genus: | Amytornis |
| Species: | A. striatus |
| Binomial name | |
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Amytornis striatus (Gould, 1840) |
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| Subspecies | |
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see text |
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see text
The striated grasswren (Amytornis striatus) is a small, cryptically coloured ground-dwelling species of wren-like bird in the Maluridae family, endemic to Australia. It occupies a large discontinuous range across arid and semi-arid areas of western, central and southern Australia where it is associated with spinifex (Triodia) grass. This species is currently recognised as having three subspecies, and is the subject of ongoing studies that may lead to it being split into four or more different species.
The striated grasswren is one of 11 species in the genus Amytornis, commonly known as the grasswrens, found only in arid and semi-arid areas of Australia. All are small cryptic birds with long, usually cocked-tails, characterised by diagnostic distinctive interscapular gap in the feathering, an enlarged auditory bulla (tympanic chambers) and ten rectrices. The striated grasswren is a slim, long-tailed grasswren with a slender pointed bill. The plumage is highly variable across its range, suited to local soil and rock colour; birds are slightly sexually dimorphic; females have a brighter rufous flank-patch. All populations are soft red-brown above, streaked white; an orange-buff eyebrow and fore-supercilium; white throat; bold black submostachial stripe; and buffish underbody. Like other grasswrens they have short rounded wings and are unable to undertake long flights, typically flitting or hopping from perch to perch within vegetation, and run or hop when on the ground in a series of fast jerky movements. While closely related to the familiar fairy-wrens (Malurinae) striated grasswrens are larger (17-20g c.f. 6-16g), and more sombrely coloured, with varyingly prominent white streaking on varying shades of brown, rufous and black plumage. Striated grasswrens are usually seen as pairs, but sometimes as individuals, and often in small groups of up to five birds, which are unobtrusive, shy, and typically difficult to approach, often first detected by their calls. When breeding, birds may be inquisitive of intruders of their territory.
Striated grasswrens are the most widespread of the grasswrens, with a disjointed range which extends from the Pilbara of inland Western Australia, through inland Western Australia into the western and southern Northern Territory and northern South Australia, and from central and south-western Queensland, across central and south-western New South Wales, north-west Victoria and into southern and eastern South Australia. Throughout this range three sub-species are recognised, A. s. rowleyi the ‘rusty grasswren’, restricted to areas of western Queensland,A. s. whitei ‘Pilbara grasswren’ of Western Australia’s Pilbara Region, and A. s. striatus ‘striated grasswren’ of inland Western Australia, south-western Northern Territory, north-western and south-eastern South Australia, central and south-western New South Wales, and north-western Victoria. Across these wide-ranging arid and semi-arid areas, all populations of striated grasswren are strongly associated with sandplains, dunes and stony hills dominated by spinifex (Triodia) grass, with or without an overstorey of shrubs such as grevillea, Hakea, acacia banksia or mallee eucalypts. Spinifex provides critical habitat for foraging and protective nesting and cover for this species, and most other species of grasswren. Striated grasswren have been shown to have a preference for areas with large hummocks of spinifex, 25–40 years post-fire, though birds have been found to occupy some areas 6 to 8 years after fire.
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