The Rufous Bristlebird (Dasyornis broadbenti) is one of three extant (still surviving) species endemic to Australia. Their natural habitats are coastal shrublands and heathland, having been sighted from the coastal regions of south-western Victoria, south-eastern region of South Australia, and the south-western region of Western Australia.
The Rufous Bristlebird has a red-brown colouration with a long tail that has a rough uneven tip. The top of the head and the ear coverts are a rich rufous (reddish brown in colour). The underpart is a grey-brown with speckling.
The Rufous Bristlebird feeds mainly on the ground, eating small invertebrates, berries and fallen seeds. They also forage around under shrubs, searching for insects and their larvae. They are often seen running around rapidly, with head down.
It is a species that is heard far more often than it is seen, hiding among dense vegetation, where it gives a loud and distinctive call. The calls include a gentle series of repeated thin clear “chit” notes followed by a slurred whistled phrase. The call is often given by two birds, with one bird making the initial call, followed by the answering call, giving the impression of a single bird.
- Scientific classification
- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Dasyornithidae
- Genus: Dasyornis
- Species: D. broadbenti
- Binomial name: Dasyornis broadbent