This is only the second time I’ve seen a Chestnut-crowned Babbler. These birds were in a dry creek bed at Bendleby Ranges, South Australia. They were very busy gathering material for their nests, babbling away to each other at the same time:

Here’s one of the birds that stayed still long enough for me to snap a photo. It’s beak is open in mid-babble:

Common name: Chestnut-crowned Babbler
Scientific name: Pomatostomus ruficeps
Approximate length: 21-23 cm
Date spotted: 11 September 2026 (winter)
Location: Bendleby Ranges in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia: 32°21’13.7″S 138°47’34.8″E