Spotted Pardalote
Calls & Sounds

The Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus) is a tiny jewel of a bird found in eastern and southern Australia. Despite its diminutive size, the Spotted Pardalote has a surprisingly loud voice which is often the best way to detect its presence. 

What does a Spotted Pardalote sound like? The song of the Spotted Pardalote consists of loud, ringing notes – typically 3-4 notes in mainland south-eastern Australia. Often the first note or two is inaudible unless heard from a close distance. Another common vocalization is a softer two note ‘pee-peep’ call.

There is some regional variation in song and call patterns. The song of the mainland subspecies P. punctatus xanthopyge is often a single penetrating note, while birds in Tasmania often make a two note song with a high-low pattern.

Listen to some examples of Spotted Pardalote sounds below.