Varied Sittella

11-12.5 cm. A species of five (or six) distinctive geographic races around the continent, hybridising freely where ranges overlap (see map).

1. Nominate race chrysoptera, 'Orange-winged Sittella' (se. Aust.)

Bill longer in male than female; yellowish at base, with long, dark tip; legs/feet orange-yellow, robust; head grey or blackish; throat white (male); blackish grey (female). Back paler grey-brown with broad dark streaks; rump whitish; tail short, black with white tips; flight feathers black with broad, pale orange band, conspicuous in flight; underparts white, lightly streaked darker in Vic., streaking increasing through n. NSW-inland s. Q. Immature: paler; wing coverts tipped buff; underparts whitish. In flight, wings seem too large for bird; broad, pale orange wing band, white rump and white tail tips, conspicuous. Highly social: breeding groups of 5-7 in spring-summer (or autumn in n.), larger winter companies. Groups forage together, flying into heads of trees, typically working down branches and trunk with constant rocking-horse motion, probing and levering bark flakes with longish, slightly upturned bills, maintaining contact with constant chitterings, before flying on to next tree. When breeding, one female appears to lay, but all members of group feed the young. Roost comunally.

2. Race leucocephala, 'White-headed Sittella'

Head/neck white in both sexes; wing band orange; upperparts/flanks streaked dark grey. Immature: head mostly grey.

3. Race striata, 'Striated Sittella'

Darkest-headed, most streaked sittella. Male: crown black. Female: head/throat and sometimes upperbreast black. Both sexes grey-white above, streaked brownish black; whitish underparts finely streaked blackish; wing band white. Immature: no streaks on breast.

4. Race leucoptera, 'White-winged Sittella'

Like pileata, but smaller; wing band white, conspicuous in flight. Immature: head greyish.

5. Race pileata, 'Black-capped Sittella'

More boldly marked/clean-cut than nominate race. Male: crown black; forehead/sides of face white. Female: crown/forehead/cheeks glossy black. Back plain grey-brown or with slight dark streaks; underparts pure white, unstreaked. Immature: crown greyish black, streaked whitish in juvs. In flight, orange wing band, white rump, white tips to black tail conspicuous.