RUFOUS-CROWNED EMU-WREN

Photographed near Alice Springs May 2016

785            RUFOUS-CROWNED EMU-WREN             Stipiturus ruficeps

Australia         (629)

Biggest of the Em-wrens, 12-13 cm, including tail 6.5-7.5 cm. Found in spinifex, on sides/gullies of rocky ridges, with sparse shrubs. Range: arid inland, e. to Winton-Fermoy-Opalton (Q); in NT n. to Frewena-Wauchope, s. to james Ra., McDonnell Ras., Simpson Desert; in WA extends to w. coast, near NW Cape, n. to c. 20 degrees South in Gt Sandy Desert, s. to E. Murchison district-Kathleen Valley-Naretha and n Gt Victoria Desert and nw SA. Local, sedentary.

LITTLE CROW

Photographed at Tennant Creek, Northern Territory May 2016

784            LITTLE CROW           Corvus bennnetti

Australia         (628)

Smallest, shortest legged of the Aust. corvids. 45-48 cm. Found in mallee, mulga, other acacia scrubs, tambourin watercourses; grasslands; deserts, near treeless plains, coastal woodlands, farmlands, abattoirs, towns. Range: Inland and w. Aust., coastal islands.

GREY HONEYEATER

Photographed just south of Alice Springs May 2016

783               GREY HONEYEATER               Conopophila whitei

Australia           (627)

Found in mature mulga, Acacia aneura, woodlands; open mulga with spinifex; tall open scrub dominated by other acacias, eremophilas; sandhills with red mulga. 10.5-12 cm. Range: inland Aust., from ne SA to Pilbara (WA); n. to c. Frewena-Wave Hill (NT); s. through nw. SA to Gt Victoria Desert-Wanjarri-Yalgoo (WA). Regular in mulga belt n. of Alice Springs. Rare, little known; nomadic.

BANDED WHITEFACE

Photographed near alice Springs, Northern Territory May 2016

782      BANDED WHITEFACE         Aphelocephala nigricincta

Australia          (626)

Found in open mulga and other inland scrubs; vegetation on watercourses; saltbush, bluebush, grassland, gibber; sandhills with sparse low shrubs. 11-12.5 cm. Range: inland and cw Aust., e. to far sw. Q (e. and n. to Betoota-Bedourie); n. in NT to Tarlton Downs-Barrow Ck-Tanami; n. in WA to Gt Sandy Desert and s. to middle Gascoyne R.-Cue; n. SA, s. to Musgrave Ras.-L. Eyre Basin. Fairly common, sedentary or locally nomadic.

CARPENTARIAN GRASSWREN

Photography near Mount Isa, Queensland May 2016

81     CARPENTARIAN GRASSWREN        Amytornis dorotheae

Australia     (625)

Also known as Dorothy's or Red-winged Grasswren. Found in spinifex, sparse shrubs, eucalypts on sandstone escarpments. 16-17.5 cm. Range: colonies on 'Gulf Falls' escarpments, in e. NT -nw Q., from Trawalla and Bukalara Ras., near Borroloola (NT) to Upper Nicholson R (NT-Q border); se to Lawn Hill NP, e to Gunpowder-Mt Isa (Q). Sedentary

KALKADOON GRASSWREN

Photographed near Mica Creek, Mount Isa, Queensland May 2016

780     KALKADOON GRASSWREN        Amytornis ballarae

Australia     (624)

Found Found in spinifex clumps usually on rugged hillsides. 16 cm. Range: Country around Mount Isa in nw Q., including Welwyn Ra., and E. Barkly Tablelands.

GREY FALCON

Photographed near Barkley Homestead, Northern Territory May 2016

779               GREY FALCON            Falco hypoleucos

Australia         (623)

Found in lightly treed inland plains; gibber deserts, sand ridges, pastoral lands, timbered watercourses; seldom in driest deserts. 30-44 cm, span to 90cm. Female larger. Range: resident or nomadic visitor to inland parts of all mainland States, especially in Simpson desert-Strezlecki Track region of NT, SA, w Q and far nw NSW; nw coast of WA from Shark Bay to e Kimberley; ne coast near Townsville (Q) rare to very rare; sedentary, dispersive or part-migratory.

Central-west Queensland, August 2017

DUSKY GRASSWREN

Photographed near Tennant Creek, Northern Territory May 2016

778        DUSKY GRASSWREN             Amytornis purnelli

Australia         (622)

Found on rocky ranges with spinifex; shrubs. 15-18 cm. Range: nw SA-far e WA, through inland NT.

Note: this bird was near Tennant Creek, Northern Territory and there is currently consideration of this as a separate species.

Photographed south of Alice Springs May 2016

CHESNUT RAIL

Photographed at Buffalo Creek, Darwin May 2016

777              CHESTNUT RAIL            Eulabeornis castaneoventris

Australia           (621)

Found in coastal mangroves, tidal creeks and exposed mud. 44-52 cm; male larger. Range: coastal n. Australia and islands, from c. Derby (WA) to Top End (NT), to se Gulf of Carpentaria. Sedentary.

Darwin, January 2024

RED GOSHAWK

Photographed in Kakadu, Northern Territory May 2016

776          RED GOSHAWK              Erythrotriorchis radiatus

Australia            (620)

Found in open forests, woodlands, especially near rivers, wetlands; rainforest fringes. 50-61 cm, span to 1.35 m, Female much larger. Range: coastal and sub-coastal n. and ne. Aust. , from Kimberley (WA), formerly s. to Sydney but rarely seen s. of Q-NSW border. Rare, declining.