My first Rufous Songlark

The Merlin app identifies this bird as a Rufous Songlark. I’ve done quite a bit of research and can’t find a better match. The bird was perched on the bare branches of a tree at Bendleby Ranges near Belton, South Australia:

I didn’t get a photo of the bird’s back, so we can’t see whether it has the reddish patch above its tail that gives it its name. According to my bird book, they’re found across the Australian continent. They migrate southwards for the summer and return to the north in the autumn.

Common name: Rufous Songlark
Scientific name: Concloramphus mathewsi
Length: 16-19 cm
Date spotted: 11 September 2026 (spring)
Location: Bendleby Ranges in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia: 32°21’13.7″S 138°47’34.8″E

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About Sarah Maddox

Technical writer, author and blogger in Sydney

Posted on 2026/09/28, in Birds, Songlark and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

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