Shy heathwren

Their taxonomic name was formerly Calamanthus cautus—classing them as fieldwrens—until they were renamed in 2008.[3] The generic name Hylacola derives from the Greek hylē 'woodland' and the Latin -cola 'dweller'.[4] The specific epithet derives from the Latin cautus 'shy, wary'.[4] Common names for the species include shy hylacola[1] and mallee heathwren.[5] Four subspecies have been recognised: the nominate subspecies Hylacola cauta cauta in South Australia and Victoria; H. c. macrorhynchus in New South Wales; H. c. halmaturina on Kangaroo Island; and H. c. whitlocki in Western Australia.[6][7]

The birds are cock-tailed with a chestnut rump that darkens towards the tip. Their feathers are white with brown streaking underneath and greyish-brown on the back and crown. They have a white eyebrow, tail tip and patch on the flight feathers, and a black bill. Their eyes are brown to yellowish-brown and legs are slate-brown. Females have slightly duller colouring, and immature birds are duller again with some of these being fawn-coloured underneath.[8][9] They have a total length when adults of 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in).[8][6]

They are uncommon residents across a wide part of southern Australia. Ranging from near West Wyalong in New South Wales to the Murchison River in Western Australia.[8] In New South Wales, they are found in two isolated populations: one between Leeton, Willandra National Park, Nymagee and West Wyalong; and the other from Balranald to Trentham Cliffs. Within the state they are seen as a threatened and vulnerable, largely due to human-wrought habitat loss, and predation by foxes and cats.[9]