The Striated Pardalote is more common than people usually think, with its call the first indication of the presence of this brightly coloured little bird. There is considerable variation in plumage characteristics across the range of this species. All birds have white eyebrows with a yellow spot in front of the eye, olive-grey backs and a white stripe in the wing. In different parts of the country, the wing stripe may be narrow or wide, the coloured spot at the front end of this stripe may be red or yellow, and the black crown may have or lack fine white stripes. Both male and female are similar in plumage. Young birds also resemble the adults, but are notably paler, particularly on the crown and face.
