FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The grey-crowned babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis) is a bird species of the family Pomatostomidae. Found in woodlands and open forests of northwestern, northern, central, and eastern Australia along with Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, these birds are the largest of the four Australian babblers. Taxonomy shows that two subspecies of the bird are known to be found in Australia and New Guinea. A grey-crowned babble (Pomatostomus temporalis temporalis) is found within Australia in Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, and southeastern South Australia. This subspecies is also seen in New Guinea. The other subspecies called Pomatostomus temporalis rubeculus are found in Australia in the states of Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, and northern South Australia. Unlike the P.t. temporalis, the P.t. rubeculus is only found in Australia. These birds are always found in groups, even when breeding. They do not leave the group ever.
Identification of these birds is easy as they have grayish-brown upperparts along with a dark long tail with a white tip. Orange-buff wing patches are seen on their short and round wings and they have a long, curved bill. These birds have pale underparts with lower breast, belly, and vent colored chestnut-brown. They have a distinctive gray crown stripe and a dark face mask with a white eyebrow. The young birds have dark brown eyes with the irises turning pale with age. In three years, the iris becomes yellow in color. P.t. temporalis has a creamy white breast sometimes mid-gray, while the P.t. rubeculus has a mid to deep rufous-brown breast.
For more relatable content, check out these fun hornbill facts and bowebird facts.
Pomatostomus temporalis is a species of small bird found in woodlands and open forest areas in their range. The bird forages on the ground and on the trunks and branches of trees and shrubs.
Pomatostomus temporalis falls under the class of Aves in the kingdom of Animalia.
The population of the birds from Australia is not known. However, they are known to occur in a range of areas of 3,285,729.3 sq mi (8,510,000 sq km). The population is quite abundant, however, it is decreasing currently.
Pomatostomus temporalis is found in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. The bird is found in northwestern, northern, central, and eastern Australia.
According to the taxonomy of the species, there are two subspecies found of the grey-crowned babbler. The P.t. temporalis as we already discussed is found in the states of Victoria, eastern Queensland which includes Cape York, south-eastern South Australia, and New South Wales. It is also sometimes seen in the Australian Capital Territory. The subspecies are also seen in Papua New Guinea.
The other subspecies, P.t. rubeculus, is only seen in Australia and is distributed across the states of Western Australia, Northern Territory, western Queensland, and small amounts in northern South Australia.
The habitat of the Pomatostomus temporalis includes temperate forest areas and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest areas. The birds are found in a habitat of open forest areas and woodlands, inland plains with an open shrub layer, little ground cover, and plenty of trees. Leaf litter and trees are one of the most important criteria for these birds. They are also sometimes found in golf courses.
The birds are always found in groups of two to 15 birds. These numbers are usually four to 12 in real life. A primary breeding pair can live with several non-breeding pairs in the groups.
The bird species is also seen foraging in groups among leaf litter, around fallen trees, and bark of shrubs and trees.
The average life span of this bird species is around four years.
These birds live and are seen breeding in cooperative territorial groups which consist of two to 15 birds. The group usually consists of one dominant breeding pair and several non-breeding birds. Sometimes the group can also add two breeding pairs. Nests are built by the breeding pair and other members of the group. Nests are made in trees, shrubs, and saplings. The primary female does most of the work while making the nests.
Two types of nests are present in the group. Roost-nests are used by all the bird members to live while the brood-nests are used by the breeding females. Old nests are usually used year after year. The chamber of the nests is made of soft grass, bark, wool, and feathers. The breeding female in the nests is fed by all other members of the group while the young are fed by everyone. Two broods are usual per year. Two to three brown eggs are laid and incubated for 23 days.
The young stay with the family group for one to three years after fledging after 23 days.
The conservation status of the Pomatostomus temporalis is categorized as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. This bird is affected by habitat loss.
Pomatostomus temporalis has a dark brown-gray plumage in the upperparts. The bird has a distinctive gray crown stripe. This is complemented with a dark face mask that contrasts with a white eyebrow of the bird. The chin and throat are colored white with a pale gray lower breast. The species has a long and curved bill with short and rounded wings. There are cinnamon-brown wing patches with a long tail that has a white tip. The eye is colored pale yellow in the adult birds. The subspecies, P.t. rubeculus, has a rufous lower breast and darker crown stripe.
Juveniles have dark brown eyes, however, they turn yellow in three years.
They are considered quite cute.
They have a loud call which is easily heard. Most people call the bird 'yahoo' named after its call. The call sounds like a puppy sometimes barking and has been appropriately named in some cases. Some even say that the call sounds like a talkative group speaking to each other.
Pomatostomus temporalis measure between 9.8-11.4 in (24.8-29 cm) in length.
The speed is not known.
The weight has a range of up to 0.17 lb (77.1 g).
Males and females are not given different names.
Babies are called young.
The main diet of these birds includes insects, seeds, and invertebrates. Babblers usually diet on insects and invertebrates like grasshoppers, ants, wasps, cockroaches, termites, beetles, crickets, spiders, and flies.
Cats are known to be the main predator of the Pomatostomus temporalis.
The birds are quite sociable.
They are not usually considered pets.
Many species of babblers are used as food by snakes.
There are numerous names given to the grey-crowned babbler such as yahoo, happy Jack, grey-crowned chatterer, and many others like dog-bird, barker, barking-bird. The bird species is known to be quite talkative when in groups and the call also sounds like a puppy.
The loud scolding calls and chattering sounds like 'wee-oo'. While breeding, females have calls sounding like 'yah' and males 'ahoo'. The contact call sounds like 'chuck' between them.
The call is made to maintain pairs and also to establish territories.
They do not migrate.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these chicken facts and frigate facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable grey-crowned babbler coloring pages.
Thank you to Kidadler Brian for providing the image of a Grey-crowned Babbler in this article.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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