Animalia Life

Megalurus gramineus
SUBFAMILY
Sylviinae
TAXONOMY
Megalurus gramineus Gould, 1865.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Little marshbird; striated grassbird; little reedbird; marsh warbler; French: Mйgalure menue; German: Zwergschilfsдnger.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
5.1–5.9 in (13–15 cm). Medium-sized warbler with brownish upperparts, streaked dark; pale grayish underparts finely streaked with dark brown. Flight feathers graduated, edged with white.
DISTRIBUTION
Southern and eastern Australia.
HABITAT
Dense vegetation of marshes, reedbeds, swamps, occasionally mangroves.
BEHAVIOR
Solitary. Skulking. Song is three note, plaintive whistle. Flight is weak. Some movement and nomadism occurs.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Insects, insect larvae, spiders and other arthropods; also takes aquatic mollusks.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Courtship involves chasing and wing-fluttering displays. Nest is suspended above water, a deep cup of grass and plant material, lined with large feathers, and rimmed tops. Three to five eggs.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.

Other popular Animals