Adult male: The forehead and sides of the head are bright rufous (reddish-brown). The top of the head is bluish-grey extending to the back of the neck. The upper mantle and sides of the neck are glassed violaceous or amethyst purple. The lower mantle, scapulars, tertials and inner wing-coverts are dark olive-brown. The outermost lower scapulars, tertials and three innermost greater wing-coverts have black subterminal spots on outerwebs, giving a distinctive wing pattern. The outer wing-coverts are dark grey with a brownish wash. The outer seconadries and primaries are blackish-brown grading to greyish-brown on the inner secondaries. The outer primaries are narrowly edged buff-brown on the outerwebs. Outer primaries narrowly edged buff-brown on outwebs. The back, rump and uppertail-coverts are warm olive-brown grading to blackish-brown on the inner rectrices. The tail is less graduated than Z. macroura and tipped grey not white. The outer rectrices are pale grey with a narrow subterminal black line on the innerwebs. The next two pairs are tipped pale grey with grey bases separated by black subterminal spots, and next three pairs dull grey with black subterminal spots. The chin and throat are cinnamon-buff, face with a short black streak below the eye. The face and breast are rich rufous-cinnamon grading to duskier rufous on the belly and undertail-coverts. The undertail is white at the base becoming grey towards the blackish-grey tips. Wing linings are greyish-brown and the underside of the flight feathers is dull brown. Iris is black or brown. Orbital skin is cobalt-blue and the bill is black with variable amounts in gape. The legs and feet bright are coral-red.

Adult female: Generally duller brown above and less rufous below, with much reduced bloom to plumage in breeding plumage. The wings, back and tail are very similar to the male but darker and duller brown. The head is more uniform brown extending to the mantle. The sides of the neck have reduced iridescence. The throat is rufous-brown grading to dull brown on the rest of the underparts and the undertail-coverts.

Juvenile: Generally duller and darker brown overall with rather buffier hue below. The scapulars wing-coverts and breast feathers are fringed buff-brown. There is no iridescence on the neck and the orbital skin is dull reddish-purple. The feet and tarsi are dull red.

Other Names:

Semi-arid deciduous woodlands.

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