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Varied Sittella
Daphoenositta chrysoptera
Conservation Status
Vulnerable species in New South Wales (Threatened Species Conservation Act).
What does it look like?
It is a small songbird (up to 10 cm) with a sharp, slightly upturned bill, short tail, barred undertail, and yellow eyes and feet. In flight the orange wing-bar and white rump are prominent. In NSW most individuals have a grey head and are streaked with dark brown, but in the extreme north-east they have a white head, and in the extreme south-west a black cap. (from DEC-NSW Threatened Species Profile)
Where does it live?
They occupy eucalypt forests and woodlands, mallee farm trees, roadside vegetation, parks and gardens. The Varied Sittella has a preference for rough-barked trees, but will occur in most vegetation types with the exception of rainforest. Their distribution covers most of Victoria and New South Wales, with the exception of the north east and north west corners of New South Wales.
What is their life cycle and what do they eat?
The species is nomadic in arid areas but sedentary closer to the coast. They form flocks of 10 to 30 individuals. The Sittella tends to land in the crown of a tree and then work their way downwards foraging on spiders and insects. An arboreal species, they remain in the tree canopy.
Updated: 27 Jun 2011
Related Links
- Varied Sittella - DEC-NSW Threatened Species Profile