Chthonicola sagittata
This unobtrusive but charming little bird inhabiting open woodland is an uncommon visitor to Canberra gardens. It has been recorded each year of the survey, though from few sites, generally on the edge of suburbs next to woodland reserves. Many of the records are regular observations of small numbers over several months. Seasonal variation is not easy to assess, as changes are minor and insufficiently recorded. However, records from all years show a peak in June and a trough in August.
Speckled Warblers are ground-nesting birds, but their nests are not as well protected as those of the White-browed Scrubwren, possibly making them more vulnerable to predation. There are only two breeding records: nest building at Hughes in December 1988, and a dependent young at Farrer in November 1994. R=106. BR=77.
