BLUE-FACED PARROT-FINCH

Juvenile, photographed near Kingfisher Lodge, Jullaten, Queensland October 2015

679            BLUE-FACED PARROT-FINCH             Erythrura trichroa 

Australia           (521)

Found in coastal mangrove fringiest margins of and grassy clearings in, mountain rainforests over 1000 m. 12-13 cm. Range: imperfectly known. Usually stated as from near Cooktown (Q), to Mt Lewis, near Jullaten, and Atherton Tableland, but breeding reported from Iron Range, e. Cape York Pen, and near Ingham. Seasonal nomad or migrant, to highlands in summer, coastal lowlands. Rare.

Comment: difficult to find even when an area is located. Took many days of searching for.

RED-NECKED CRAKE

Photographed at Kingfisher Lodge, Jullaten, Queensland October 2015

678        RED-NECKED CRAKE           Rallina tricolor

Australia            (520)

Found in rainforests, especially with dense understory of ferns, vines etc; mostly near watercourses; also vine-thickets, drier monsoon forests, lantana, dense gardens. 23-29 cm. Range: ne Q from Cape York s. to about Paluma; inland to Atherton Tableland. Casual s. to Eungella NP, sedentary in south of range; some migrate through Torres Strait to PNG in winter.

Comment: Extremely elusive and skittish. Took several nights staking out his route to get these photos.

WHITE-BROWED CRAKE

Photographed near Kingfisher Lodge, Queensland October 2015

677        WHITE-BROWED CRAKE          Porzana cinerea

Australia          (519)

Found in reeds, rank grass, water lilies, floating vegetation in swamps; mangroves, woodland edges near or over water; sewerage ponds. 17-18 cm. Range: coastal n Aust. and islands from e. Kimberley (WA) to Townsville (Q). Probable winter migrant to PNG.