White-fronted chat

The White-fronted Chat (Epthianura albifrons) is a small, ground-loving bird found across southern Australia in open saltmarsh, grasslands and coastal scrub. The male is a sharp-looking bird with a distinctive black and white banded head and breast, while the female is more softly marked in pale grey and brown. Unlike many small Australian birds that dart through dense undergrowth, White-fronted Chats prefer open, low vegetation where they can be seen hopping along the ground or perching on fence posts and low shrubs as they hunt for insects. They’re a social species, often found in small flocks outside of breeding season, and tend to stick to the same patch of habitat year-round. These photographs capture the White-fronted Chat in its open coastal and grassland environment.