White-fronted chat
Community type
Habitat type
The white-fronted chat is a small, black and white insectivorous bird that inhabits saltmarsh, and other damp open habitats along the coast or near waterways. It has a short slender bill, long spindly legs, and rounded wings, and is commonly seen perched atop shrubs or hopping along the ground. The male’s plumage is more striking than the female's, who are browner and have no black. A distinctive ‘tang, tang’ is used as a contact call.
The white-front chat is found across the southern half of Australia, where it has a widespread distribution, but populations are in decline.