The red-browed pardalote is a tiny bird found only in Australia. It has a bright and vibrant coloration and primarily feeds on insects. These birds are experts at gleaning, which means they forage for food mainly in eucalyptus trees. The name of this bird comes from the Latin word “rubricatus,” meaning red-ochred, which describes the bright orange-red eyebrow it sports. In addition to its scientific name, the red-browed pardalote goes by several other common names, including red-browed diamondbird, bellbird, cape red-browed, pale red-browed, fawn-eyed, fawn-eyebrowed, and pallid or red-lored pardalote.
The red-browed pardalote is a relatively large species of pardalote, typically measuring around 105 mm in length with a wingspan of 60-66 mm. Adult males usually weigh in at around 10.9g, while females are slightly lighter at 10.8 g. The male tarsus has an average length of 18.3 mm, whilst the female tarsus is slightly longer at 18.5 mm. The yorki subspecies, on the other hand, tends to be smaller, measuring between 100-120 mm and weighing just 9.3 g on average. The male tarsus of this subspecies is typically around 17.4 mm long, with females having an average tarsus length of 17.3 mm. Their wingspan is usually shorter too, measuring between 58-62 mm in length.
The red-browed pardalote has a unique call which consists of five or six notes, with the first note being longer and lower pitched than the rest. Male birds use this call to announce their territory from a sheltered spot within the trees canopy. This call has been compared to that of a rosella bird species.
This species is widely distributed throughout various regions of Australia, including north and central Australia, south and south central Western Australia, northeast South Australia, and south west New South Wales. They can also be found in the Great Sandy, Gibson, and Great Victoria Deserts. The red-browed pardalote inhabits diverse types of habitats, such as woodlands, shrublands, tropical, arid, and semi-arid regions of Australia. However, they prefer eucalypt woodlands which are adjacent to watercourses, such as riparian river red gum, coolibah woodlands, and tall eucalypt shrublands like mallee.
The red-browed pardalotes are known to search for food in the highest branches of the bloodwoods and marble gums that can be found scattered amidst the sand dunes of Western Australia’s desert sand-ridge region. These little birds have been spotted in various other habitats such as woodlands that consist of bloodwood-banksia, eucalypt-paperbark, and low-acacia, as well as acacia shrublands, mulga, spinifex plains, and grasslands. Moreover, they have also been observed dwelling in sand dunes, rocky outcrops, valleys, and floodplains.
Red-browed pardalotes are known for their sedentary behavior and territorial foraging habits throughout the year. These birds are commonly seen alone or in small groups of up to six individuals. Their arboreal nature means that they spend much of their time searching for food in the foliage of eucalypt trees. Using their unique ‘scoop-shaped’ bill, they delicately glean insects and lerps from the surface of leaves. Lerps, in particular, provide a significant source of sugar and carbohydrates for the pardalotes. Alongside this, they also consume other arthropods such as beetles, gum leaf beetles, flies, mosquitoes, flowerflies, leafhoppers, shield bugs, psyllids, bees, ants, wasps, and plant matter.
The red-browed pardalote is currently classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Despite lack of specific population data, the bird is widespread and abundant in its range, indicating a steady population.
