The striated pardalote (''Pardalotus striatus'') is the least colourful and most common of the four

pardalote Pardalotes or peep-wrens are a family, Pardalotidae, of very small, brightly coloured birds native to Australia, with short tails, strong legs, and stubby blunt beaks. This family is composed of four species in one genus, ''Pardalotus'', and seve ...

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

. Other common names include pickwick, wittachew and chip-chip. It is a very small, short-tailed bird that is more often heard than seen, foraging noisily for lerps and other small creatures in the treetops.

Taxonomy

Four full species were originally named, and are clearly recognisable in the field. They are now classified as merely well-defined

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

instead. * The yellow-tipped pardalote (subspecies ''striatus'') is found mainly in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, but crosses the 200 miles of

Bass Strait Bass Strait () is a strait separating the island state of Tasmania from the Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The strait provides the most direct waterwa ...

to the mainland each winter in a migration. * The striated pardalote, subspecies ''substriatus'', central and western Australia. * The eastern striated or red-tipped pardalote, subspecies ''ornatus'', from the sub-tropical east coast, including the

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

region. * Two subspecies of the black-headed pardalote, ''melanocephalus'' and ''uropygialis'', from north-eastern

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

to north-eastern

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, and across the

Top End The Top End of Australia's Northern Territory is a geographical region encompassing the northernmost section of the Northern Territory, which aside from the Cape York Peninsula is the northernmost part of the Australian continent. It covers a ra ...

to the Kimberley. All five forms have a black cap which may be striated but never spotted, a white wing stripe and a small, conspicuous wing spot—bright red in all except ''striatus'', which has a yellow spot.

Description

The striated pardalote's plumage varies considerably across its range.Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania - Striated Pardalote, Pardalotus striatus
/ref> The crown is black, with subspecies ''substriatus'', ''striatus'' and ''ornatus'' having white streaks. The eyebrow is white, starting with a yellow mark near the beak. All races have a white stripe on the wing and olive backs.Birds in Backyards - Striated Pardalote
/ref> The nominate race has a yellow spot on the wing, whilst the other subspecies have a red dot. The male and female are similar, juveniles have duller plumage. Similar species include the

spotted pardalote The spotted pardalote (''Pardalotus punctatus'') is one of the smallest of all Australian birds at in length, and one of the most colourful; it is sometimes known as the diamondbird. Although moderately common in all of the reasonably fertile pa ...

and the

red-browed pardalote The red-browed pardalote (''Pardalotus rubricatus'') is a small brightly coloured insectivorous passerine, endemic to Australia . A gleaning specialist, they forage primarily in eucalypt trees . The Latin word ''rubricatus'' means 'red-ochred' whi ...

Distribution and habitat

Striated pardalotes occupy a vast range of

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

types from tall mountain

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

to arid scrubland, although they favour eucalyptus forest and woodlands. They are found in all parts of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

except some of the Western Australian

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

Behaviour

Feeding

Striated pardalotes feed on insects and insect larvae. They usually do so in the high foliage of eucalyptus trees, but may come closer to the ground where there are lower shrubs. Feeding takes place in small groups.

Breeding

Breeding occurs from June to February. Two to five white, oval-shaped eggs are laid in a nest is made of bark fiber, rootlets and fine grass, and placed in tree hollow, a tunnel excavated in the side of a bank or within crevices in man-made objects. Both sexes incubate and care for the young.

Call

Call is a clear, sharp, musical "witta-witta", the second part slightly lower, repeated regularly in intervals for long periods; Striated Pardalote also give off soft, low trills.

References

Gallery

Image:Nesting pair of Striated Pardalote.jpg, Building a nest - Redcliffe, Perth, Western Australia Image:Striated Pardalote rushck.ogv, Rush Creek, SE Queensland, Australia

External links

Striated pardalote videos, photos & sounds
on the Internet Bird Collection. {{Taxonbar, from=Q609285 striated pardalote Endemic birds of Australia Birds of Victoria (Australia) striated pardalote striated pardalote Articles containing video clips