The Redthroat (Pyrrholaemus brunneus) is a small shy, plump, greyish-brown bird with a fine bill. The adult male has a small rusty-red throat patch, whilst the female is pale around the face and throat.

The upper part of the Redthroat including the head, body, wings and tail are a brownish-grey, and especially darker on the rump and tail. The underbody is whitish-grey, a more whitish belly with a pale buff colour, merging into the flanks and undertail coverts. The tail has white patches on the tips of the outer feathers. There is fine off-white scalloping that is visible on the forehead and off-white eye rings and lores.

Endemic to Australia and occurring mainly in arid and semi-arid regions that have acacia, mulga, saltbush and chenopod shrublands. They can often be seen hopping around on the ground and darting through low branches and shrubs. They are vocal when foraging.

They have a melodious call and are known to be able to mimic the calls of a number of other bird species including the rufous fieldwren, grey fantail, fairywrens, thornbills and pied butcherbird, among others.


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Family: Acanthizidae
  • Genus: Pyrrholaemus
  • Species: P. brunneus
  • Binomial name: Pyrrholaemus brunneus

Footnote & References

  1. Redthroat, Pyrrholaemus brunneus, eBird, https://ebird.org/species/redthr1
  2. Redthroat, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redthroat (last visited Oct. 31, 2021)
  3. Redthroat – profile, Office of Environment & Heritage, NSW Government, https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp/profile.aspx?id=10721
  4. Redthroat, Pyrrholaemus brunneus, Australian Birds, Graeme Chapman, https://www.graemechapman.com.au/library/viewphotos.php?c=423