Southern Whiteface

The southern whiteface is a stocky thornbill-like bird with a brown dorsum, white belly, dark brown wings and a black tail with narrow white tip. A grey wash on the belly is sometimes present, along with a grey or rufous tinge to the flanks. This species displays the characteristic facial markings of the genus; a white band across the forehead, with a darker streak along the top edge. Adult birds are approximately 11.5 cm (4.5 in) in length with a cream coloured eye, grey legs and a stubby dark grey bill of finch-like appearance. Adults are sexually monomorphic, while juveniles are distinguishable due to a lack of black rear band on the face. Call is a rapid, noisy twittering tchip-tchip-chiptchipt-chipt-chip or tzip-tzip-tziptzip and a harsher kzzurrk, kzzurrk-kzzurrk in alarm. This species can be distinguished from other whiteface species by its somewhat duller appearance and lack of a breast band, which both the banded whiteface and chestnut-breasted whiteface possess. The southern whiteface is a polytypic species with two recognised races:

A. l. leucopsis; the nominate race found throughout south-eastern and central Australia. This race varies in the degree of grey colouration on the flanks, becoming progressively paler with north-westerly distribution. The pale form was previously considered a separate race; whitei. A. l. …

The southern whiteface is endemic to Australia and typically inhabits arid open woodlands with a shrubby or grassy understory, as well as grass plains throughout much of the continents south. Not present in Tasmania or in coastal areas of the mainland, this species prefers Acacia woodlands, particularly those dominated by mulga and drought-resistant chenopod shrub species, including saltbush and bluebush. They are considered sedentary; however, atlas records indicate that individuals may move into wetter areas outside of their normal range during drought years.

Southern whiteface feed primarily on arthropods; particularly insect and arachnid species, but also take seeds and leaves. They forage almost exclusively on the ground, favouring habitat with low tree densities, a herb understory and without large amounts of litter cover. When foraging on ground substrates, southern whiteface preferentially make use of ground litter, herbs and bare ground over grass and substrates above ground level (e.g., tree trunks, branches and canopy) and obtain their insectivorous prey exclusively by gleaning. Although southern whiteface typically forage in small groups of 2-8 individuals, they may congregate in larger flocks during the non-breeding season, with as many as 70 birds recorded in foraging parties in winter. They often also participate in mixed species feeding flocks, particularly with other whiteface and thornbill species.