Crimson Chat
A species of Australian chats Scientific name : Epthianura tricolor Genus : Australian chats
Crimson Chat, A species of Australian chats
Botanical name: Epthianura tricolor
Genus: Australian chats
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Don Roberson
Description
Crimson chats are usually 10–13 cm (3.9–5.1 in) in length and 10–11 g (0.35–0.39 oz) in weight. They have long, thin legs; a pointy, downward curving bill; and a brush-like tipped tongue. Adult males are covered in brown feathers, have red crowns and under parts; a black mask around their eyes; and white throats. Females and younger chats are colored similarly, but with paler markings. The males are usually more brightly colored than females, specifically during the breeding season in order to attract a mate.
Size
13 cm
Nest Placement
Ground
Feeding Habits
Crimson Chat's diet consists primarily of ground-dwelling insects, spiders, and seeds, supplemented with nectar using their specialized brush-like tongue. Their foraging behavior includes walking, not hopping, to seek out food predominantly on or near the ground.
Habitat
The crimson Chat is typically found in open chenopod shrublands and shrublands rich in acacia, Grevillea, Hakea, and Eremophila within arid to semi-arid zones. They also inhabit grasslands with spinifex or Mitchell grass, as well as woodlands. Their habitat often encompasses plains, watercourse margins, dunes, saltlake edges, and sometimes agricultural areas in temperate to subtropical environments.
Dite type
Insectivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Distribution Area
Crimson chats can be found in deserts, semi-arid regions, woodlands, grasslands and coastal shrublands in the central part of Australia from the west coast to the Great Dividing Range and from the tropics to the south coast. Generally, they tend to inhabit areas on the fringes of wet regions, where it is more dry. They live in various types of shrubland: saltbush, bluebush, acacia and samphire. They move to wetter areas when rainfall is insufficient, which means that there are not enough nutrients produced for the birds to consume. Flocks of crimson chats may wander over a wide area around their range in order to track rain. This nomadic movement helps them find the best flowers and nectar. However, chats do not follow routine seasonal migrations.
Photo By Don Roberson
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Honeyeaters Genus
Australian chats Species
Crimson Chat