One, two, three, four …

In central Victoria Varied Sittellas are a woodland resident.

Late in the day on Monday a flock, perhaps 7 or 8 individuals, joined me briefly on a stroll just north of Mia Mia Track.

The name is instructive as while there is a single species, Daphoenositta chrysoptera, found across the continent there are five generally recognised subspecies that intergrade across broad hybrid zones. Locally most individuals seem to be a mix of ssp. chrysoptera (Orange-winged Sittella) and ssp. pileata (Black-capped Sittella). The colour of the cap varies in these two forms from light grey to black, with various degrees of streaking. The sexes outside the areas of hybridisation can look quite different.

Very social birds, they almost always seen in small, tight flocks that forage along bark and branches at a reasonable height, descending at times to almost ground level as they extract insects from rough-barked eucalypts. Their quiet calls are one of the most oft-heard sounds in the bush at this time of year.

Varied Sittella, Muckleford State Forest, 3rd June 2024

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