[1] Acanthiza nana was named by Irish zoologist N. A. Vigors and American naturalist Dr Thomas Horsfield in 1827, with the bird noted in the Sydney Cove area.

[7] Upper- and under-tail are more dull than the rest of the body, and the same colour as the wings except for a dark brown-black subterminal band.

Nests are usually made of bark-fibre and grasses matted together with spider-web, located in the upper foliage of shrubs and small trees.

The call is repeated at various intervals throughout the day and is associated with contact between birds while foraging, as defence, or as a territorial advertisement.

They prefer the upper and middle levels of forest canopy, and can be found moving rapidly through the outer foliage searching for food, or looking under bark.

[7] Yellow thornbills are found mainly within temperate and semi-arid areas, with their range just extending into the subtropical zone.

Within these zones, yellow thornbills are found in a variety of habitats including shrublands, forests and thickets, preferring vegetation dominated by casuarinas or eucalypts, particularly in areas with a drier climate.

[7] Fire, land development, agricultural insecticides and climate change have also led to a decrease in insect populations, which for a largely-insectivorous bird could potentially hold severe complications in the future.