SOUTHERN FIGBIRD

421           SOUTHERN FIGBIRD               Sphecotheres vieilloti 

Australia          (295)

Traditionally Figbirds were all considered part of the one species, then divided into three: Australian Figbird, Timor Figbird and Wetar Figbird. Now there is consideration of the Australian Figbird being further divided into the Norther or Yellow Figbird and the Southern or Green Figbird. 27-29.5 cm. Range from c. Proserpine (Q) s. to Cowra on s. coast (NSW).

CLAMOUROUS REED-WARBLER

Photographed at Bendigo, Victoria, November 2014.

420         CLAMOUROUS REED-WARBLER        Acrocephalus stentoreus

Australia              (294)

Also known as Australian Reed Warbler, Redbird, Reedlark, Water Sparrow. 16-17 cm. Habitat reeds, cumbungi, pencil rush, over water; river red gum regrowth; weeping willows, bamboos, crops near irrigation channels, public gardens. Widespread e. and coastal WA, mostly south of Tropic; uncommon in Tasmania. 

INLAND THORNBILL

Photographed at Burrendong, NSW, November 2014

419           INLAND THORNBILL          Acanthiza apicalis

Australia       (293)

9.5-11.5 cm. Found in dry scrubs, woodlands, in sw. WA wetter forests, coastal scrub, heaths, mangroves. Widespread inland Aust mainland, nw Vic, w. NSW, w. Q. west to all southern WA, all SA except se corner.    

SPECKLED WARBLER

Photographed while bird banding at Burrendong, NSW, November 2014

418            SPECKLED WARBLER            Chthonicola sagittata    

Australia         (292)

11.5-12.5 cm. Found in drier woodlands with tussocks, branches, rocks; in Q. mulga, brigalow, vine scrub. Range: se Aust. on and inland of Divide e. to Brisbane, from inland Mackay to w. Vic, to Grampians NP.

COMMON GREENSHANK

417         COMMON GREENSHANK                Tringa nebularia

Australia          (291)

30-34 cm. Found on mudflats, estuaries, salt marshes, margins of lakes, wetlands, claypans, fresh and saline, commercial salt fields, sewerage ponds. Breeds from Scotland to s. and ne. Siberia, winters s. Europe, Africa, s. and se. Asia to PNG, Aust and NZ; in Australia mostly on coast of Tasmania and mainland but also inland except to driest central WA, sw NT, nw SA.

Darwin January 2024

EASTERN CURLEW

416          EASTERN CURLEW           Numenius madagascariensis

Australia         (290)

Also known as Australian, Far Eastern and Sea Curlew. 60-65 cm. Range: breeds ne Asia, summer visitor to coasts of Australia, including Tasmania, seldom inland. Found in estuaries, tidal mudflats, sand spits, salt marshes, mangroves, and sometimes fresh or brackish lakes, bare grassland, near water.

MARSH SANDPIPER

Photographed Lake Cargelligo, NSW, November 2014

415           MARSH SANDPIPER            Tringa stagnatilis

Australia        (289)

Also known as Little Greenshanks. Found in salt, brackish or freshwater wetlands, sewerage ponds, commercial salt fields, bore drains, tidal mudflats, mangroves, estuaries. Breeds Austria to Northern Mongolia, migrates to Africa, India, se Asia, Indonesia, NZ, regular summer visitor to all Australia, mostly coastal but found inland e. half of Australia. 

Photographed Lake Cargellico, November 2014.

Photographed Lake Tutchewop, Victoria, November 2014

CURLEW SANDPIPER

Photographed Lake Tutchewop, Victoria, November 2014

414         CURLEW SANDPIPER            Calidris ferruginea

Australia          (288)

20-22 cm. Found on tidal mudflats, salt marsh, saltfields, brackish or saline wetlands, sewerage ponds. Breeds ne Siberia, migrates to Africa, s and se Asia, Indonesia, NZ, PNG and widespread to Australia, mainly coastal but many inland, all of Australia except driest inland central e WA.

WHITE-WINGED FAIRY-WREN

413        WHITE-WINGED FAIRY-WREN            Malurus leucopterus

Australia            (287)

Also known as Black-and-white Fairy-wren, Blue-and-white Fairy-wren, White-backed Fairy-wren. The male has either blue or black body. 11.5-13 cm. Found in low heath, scrub, saltbush, tall grasses, low dense shrubs, tangled clumps on open, often treeless arid wastes, saltbush, holy-poly, spinifex, margins of salt lakes. Range across central Australia but not around edges from Broome, across northland down east, around to Adelaide. 

Photographed at Deniliquin, NSW February 2015

BAILLON'S CRAKE

Photographed at Fiveborough Swamp, Leeton, November 2014

412           BAILLON'S CRAKE              Porzana pusilla

Australia           (286)

Range: all of tasmania and mainland Australia except driest se and e WA, w half of SA and bottom 2/3 NT. Found in vegetated freshwater wetlands, waterside trees and shrubs. 15-16 cm.

BLACK-TAILED NATIVE HEN

Photographed at Fiveborough Swamp, Leeton, November 2014

411          BLACK-TAILED NATIVE-HEN            Gallinula ventralis

Australia              (285)

Also known as Barcoo Bantam. 30-36 cm. habitat includes open margins of wetland, lakes, rivers, wet claypans, especially in lignum; open woodland; pastures, oops and gardens. Range is most of Australian mainland except across the north, down the east coast of NSW and Victoria, and the dry se of WA,w of SA, sw of NT.

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER

Photographed at Lake Tutchewop, Victoria, November 2014.

410         LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER               Limnodromus scolopaceus

Australia              (284)

Breeds in wet tundra far north of North America and eastern Siberia; migrate to southern United States and as far as Central America, also a rare visitor to western Europe, thought possible individuals could reach Australia. 26-30 cm. Habitat shallow, muddy freshwater pools, with grass or marginal vegetation. Probably rarest bird in Australia at present as only known individual.