GREY GRASSWREN

Photographed on the Birdesville Track, August 2019

1298                 GREY GRASSWREN.                       Amytornis barbatus

AUSTRALIA                     781

Found in tall dense clumps of lignum, swamp canegrass on overflow channels, swamps, rushes, low shrubs, old man saltbush. Range in pockets of suitable habitat in far sw Queensland, nw NSW, and ne SA. Locally nomadic.

RUSTY GRASSWREN

Photographed at Larks Quarry, Queensland, April 2018

1252                   RUSTY GRASSWREN                  Amytornis rowleyi 

AUSTRALIA                   747

Restricted to spinifex associations, with or without light tree cover. Was subspecies of Striated until recent split into full species. Found in central Queensland.

SANDHILL GRASSWREN

Photographed near Uluru, Northern Territory, April 2018

744                  SANDHILL GRASSWREN                  Amytornis oweni

AUSTRALIAN                 744

Found in southern NT, western SA, eastern WA. Was considered a subspecies of Striated Grasswren, now split to full species. Restricted to spinifex associations, with or without shrubs or light tree cover, preferring areas with tall dense spinifex cover.

THICK-BILLED GRASSWREN

Photographed at Coober Pedy, South Australia, April 2018

1248              THICK-BILLED GRASSWREN                   Amytornis modestus

AUSTRALIA              743

Restricted to chenopad shrubland, sometimes with widely scattered trees, both on plains and low rocky ranges. Mostly found in the drainage basins of Lake Eyre (sap indulkanna), Frome (sup curnomona), and Flinders Ranges (sup raglessi) and newly rediscovered in nw NSW (sap obscurer).

EYREAN GRASSWREN

Photographed on the Strzelecki Track (Art Baker Lookout), August 2017

1222              EYREAN GRASSWREN                Amytornis goyderi      

AUSTRALIA                715

Found in clumps of cane grass on dunes. 14-16.5 cm. Simpson/Strzelecki Deserts in far sw Q, far se NT. Locally common, sedentary, locally nomadic.

STRIATED GRASSWREN

Photographed in Murray-Sunset National Park, August 2017

1219                   STRIATED GRASSWREN                Amytornis striatus 

AUSTRALIA               712

Found in spinifex, with mallee, acacias, other inane scrubs, coastal scrubs in WA. 14.5-19.5 cm. Four subspecies recognised: oweni, whitei, rowleyi and striatus. Striatus found in Murray mallee.

SHORT-TAILED GRASSWREN

Photographed near Stokes Lookout, Flinders Ranges, South Australia June 2016

788           SHORT-TAILED GRASSWREN          Amytornis merrotsyi

Australia         (632)

Found in spinifex; in tall Trodia with shrubs. 14.5-16 cm. Range: scattered and disjunct populations in se Flinders Ranges NP and adjacent pastoral properties, Gammon and Gawler Ras. SA.

CARPENTARIAN GRASSWREN

Photography near Mount Isa, Queensland May 2016

81     CARPENTARIAN GRASSWREN        Amytornis dorotheae

Australia     (625)

Also known as Dorothy's or Red-winged Grasswren. Found in spinifex, sparse shrubs, eucalypts on sandstone escarpments. 16-17.5 cm. Range: colonies on 'Gulf Falls' escarpments, in e. NT -nw Q., from Trawalla and Bukalara Ras., near Borroloola (NT) to Upper Nicholson R (NT-Q border); se to Lawn Hill NP, e to Gunpowder-Mt Isa (Q). Sedentary

KALKADOON GRASSWREN

Photographed near Mica Creek, Mount Isa, Queensland May 2016

780     KALKADOON GRASSWREN        Amytornis ballarae

Australia     (624)

Found Found in spinifex clumps usually on rugged hillsides. 16 cm. Range: Country around Mount Isa in nw Q., including Welwyn Ra., and E. Barkly Tablelands.

DUSKY GRASSWREN

Photographed near Tennant Creek, Northern Territory May 2016

778        DUSKY GRASSWREN             Amytornis purnelli

Australia         (622)

Found on rocky ranges with spinifex; shrubs. 15-18 cm. Range: nw SA-far e WA, through inland NT.

Note: this bird was near Tennant Creek, Northern Territory and there is currently consideration of this as a separate species.

Photographed south of Alice Springs May 2016

WESTERN GRASSWREN

Photographed at Monkey Mia, Western Australia April 2015

577             WESTERN GRASSWREN              Amytornis textilis

Australia        (420)

15-20 cm. Found in sandy lowlands; depressions in gibber plains with dense low saltbush, bluebush, cotton bush, nitre bush; clumps of swamp changers on watercourses; flood debris; near Shark Bay (WA) sand plain vegetation with acacia shrubs 1-3 m tall over grasses, herbs. The nominate race is only found around coastal sand plains on cw. coast WA, NW Cape-Peron Pen., Shark Bay; subspecies modestus in lowlands of s. NT and Macdonell Ras., to Everard Ras.-Coober Pedy-Williams Creek-w. side of Flinders Ras. (SA); possibly extinct e.SA/NSW. Race myall s. inland SA, Nullarbor Plain-GawlerRas.-Iron Knob.

Note: This was originally listed as the Thick-billed Grasswren but has been split and the population in Monkey Mia (WA) and ne Eyre Pen. (SA) are known as the Western Grasswren, though two different sub-species. The nominate race mentioned above remains known as the Thick-billed Grasswren.

Subspecies myall photographed at Whyalla Conservation Area, February 2016