swamps, peatlands, and shrub-dominated wetlands. The subspecies A. e. rufifrons (King Island Tasmanian thornbill) occupies similar habitat but on King Island and is endemic there. Behaviour Feeding The Tasmanian thornbill is primarily insectivorous, but will sometimes include seeds and fruits into its diet. It is typically arboreal, and will forage at all levels of the forest including the ground, leaves, and the bark of trunks, branches, and twigs. Breeding Tasmanian thornbills typically breed from September to January, and will build a small, neatly rounded, domed nest in low, dense vegetation. The nest itself is constructed of grass, green mosses, and fine strips of bark, and is enclosed at the entrance by a hinged flap. Within the nest, the thornbill will lay 3 or 4 eggs; however, neither the exact period of incubation of these eggs, nor the period from hatching to independence are known. The eggs themselves can range from off-white, with large brown freckles – concentrated toward the base of the egg, to a brown/bronze colour with smaller dotted dark brown/black freckles – again concentrated towards the base. Vocalisation The Tasmanian thornbill has the warbling style of call that is characteristically attributed to the Acanthizidae (Australian warbler) family, and its main call has been described phonetically as a zit zit zit sound. Conservation The Tasmanian thornbill is common and widespread throughout Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands, and has been classified by Birdlife International as a secure species of least concern on the ICUN Red List of Threatened Species. However, due to ongoing habitat destruction and heavy pesticide use, its population is suspected to be in decline. References Acanthiza Endemic birds of Tasmania Birds described in 1844