GOULD'S BRONZE-CUCKOO

Photographed on Saibai, Torres Straits, March 2018

1247                   GOULD'S BRONZE CUCKOO                Chrysococcyx minutillus russatus

AUSTRALIA                   742

Found in north-eastern Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea. Taxonomic distinctiveness is uncertain and often lumped with the Little Bronze Cuckoo. Habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

COLLARED IMPERIAL PIGEON

Photographed on Boigu Island, Torres Straits, March 2018.

1246                COLLARED IMPERIAL PIGEON                 Ducula mullerii

AUSTRALIA                 741

Native to New Guinea and adjacent islands; found in northern and southern New Guinea and the Art Islands, and recorded on Boigu and Saibai. Inhabits lowland rainforest, swamp forest, mangroves and riverine vegetation. Feeds on fruit from forest trees and insects.

Photographed on Saibai, Torres Straits, March 2018

RED-CAPPED FLOWERPECKER

Photographed on Boigu Island, Torres Straits, March 2018.

1245                    RED-CAPPED FLOWERPECKER                  Dicaeum geelvinkianum

AUSTRALIA                   740

Also known as Papuan Flowerpecker; recently split from Olive-crowned Flowerpecker. Endemic to New Guinea and adjacent islands; in Australia found on Saibai and Boigu. Found in woodlands, including secondary growth and mangroves. Eats small fruits, especially mistletoe, insects and spiders.

SINGING STARLING

Photographed on Boigu Island, Torres Straits, March 2018.

1244                 SINGING STARLING                   Aplonis cantoroides

AUSTRALIA                739

Found in New Guinea and some adjacent islands, Bismarck Archipelago, Admiralty Islands and Solomon Islands; have been recorded in Australia on Boigu and Saibai Islands. Inhabit forest edges, gardens and cultivated areas with trees, urban areas and coconut groves. Eats figs and other soft fruit, sometimes insects.

HOUSE SWIFT

Photographed on Boigu Island, Torres Straits, March 2018.

(* 875)                  HOUSE SWIFT                    Apus nipalensis 

AUSTRALIA                  738

Found in Japan, Nepal and Southeast Asia; vagrant to Australia. Capable of flying long distances by shutting off hemispheres of their brain in-flight. used to be considered a subspecies of Little Swift.

UNIFORM SWIFTLET

Photographed on Boigu Island, Torres Straits, March 2018.

1243                  UNIFORM SWIFTLET                 Aerodramus vanikorensis 

AUSTRALIAN             737

Also known as the Vanikoro or Lowland Swift. Widespread form Philippines through Wallace, New Guinea and Melanesia; vagrant to Australia, recorded in Cape York and Torres Strait Islands. Forages for insects on the wing primarily in lowland forests and open areas. Nests in caves, uses echolocation, rare in birds, to navigate.

ASHY-BELLIED WHITE-EYE

Photographed on Little Tuesday Island, Torres Straits, March 2018

1241             ASHY-BELLIED WHITE-EYE                Zosterops citrinella

AUSTRALIA                  736

Sometimes called Pale White-eye or Pale-bellied White-eye. Found in Lesser Sundra Islands and northern Cape York Peninsula. Inhabits subtropical or tropical moiast lowland forest and subtropical or tropical mangrove forest.

ZITTING CISTICOLA

Photographed at Orient Road, Bronte, Queensland, March 2018

829                 ZITTING CISTICOLA              Cisticola juncidis    

AUSTRALIA               735

Also known as Streaked Fantail Warbler. Widespread throughout southern Europe, Africa, and southern Asia down to northern Australia. Many found in grassland, often near water. As many as 18 subspecies: 3 of these in Australia: leanyeri (northern Australia), normani (northwest Queensland) and laveryi (northeast Australia).

BLACK-WINGED MONARCH

Photographed at Cooktown, Queensland February 2018

1240               BLACK-WINGED MONARCH                  Monarcha frater  

AUSTRALIAN                 734

Also known as Black-chinned Flycatcher, Black-chinned Monarch, Black-winged Flycatcher, and Black-winged Monarch Flycatcher. Found in Australia and on New Guinea. Habitat subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.Four subspecies; Pearly Monarch (M. f. canescens) is the subspecies found on islands in Torres Straits and ne Australia.