Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)
Little Grassbird (Megalurus gramineus) - HBW 11, p. 579
French: Mégalure menue
German: Zwergschilfsteiger
Spanish: Yerbera Chica
Other common names: Little Grass-warbler, Little/Striated Marshbird, Striated Reedbird, Marsh Warbler(!)
Taxonomy: Sphenoeacus gramineus Gould, 1845, Tasmania.
Plumage pattern and biogeography suggest ancestral link with M. punctatus of New Zealand, and possibly also with Madagascan Amphilais seebohmi. Validity of virtually unknown race papuensis requires confirmation, as it may have involved a vagrant from Australia. Four subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- papuensis Junge, 1952 - W New Guinea (Wissel Lakes area, in W Snow Mts).
- thomasi Mathews, 1912 - SW Western Australia (S from Shark Bay).
- goulburni Mathews, 1912 - E Australia from E Northern Territory and Queensland (S from Atherton) S to E South Australia and S Victoria.
- gramineus (Gould, 1845) - SE Australia (Tasmania and islands in Bass Strait).
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird foraging in a marsh Locality Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp goulburni)
Geoffrey Dabb 31 August 2004 6 years ago 38 sec 4.4 -
A bird in a marsh, foraging Locality Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp goulburni)
Geoffrey Dabb 31 August 2004 6 years ago 30 sec 4.3 -
Preening. Locality Jerrabomberra Wetlands, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Stephen Wallace 12 September 2011 1 year ago 30 sec 4 -
A bird (missing most of its tail) searching for food Locality Jerrabomberra Wetlands, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp goulburni)
Nick Talbot 24 February 2006 2 years ago 15 sec 3
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Little grassbird perched on samphire bush.
Locality Werribee, Victoria, Australia
Margaret Leggoe 2 December 2011 1 year ago 3.7 -
Foraging in reeds
Locality Jerrabomberra, New South Wales, Australia
Lindsay Hansch 29 December 2007 2 years ago 3.2 -
A juvenile bird hiding in reeds.
Locality Royal Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (ssp goulburni)
Nick Talbot 11 November 2012 20 weeks ago 3 -
Single bird perched in pond-side vegetation
Locality Gatton, Queensland, Australia (ssp goulburni)
Mat Gilfedder 2 December 2009 3 years ago 3
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A bird calling in reeds by a lake. Locality Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria, Australia
(ssp goulburni)
Nick Talbot 17 September 2011 1 year ago 3 -
A bird singing from a reed-fringed creek Locality Berri, South Australia, Australia
(ssp goulburni)
Peter Waanders 21 April 2010 3 years ago 3 -
Two different calls coming from birds hiding in bushes beside a wetland. Locality Trin Warren Tam-boore, Royal Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
(ssp goulburni)
Nick Talbot 21 October 2012 15 weeks ago 0
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