RED-BACKED FAIRY-WREN

181        RED-BACKED FAIRY-WREN        Malurus melanocephalus

Australia      (181)

This is the smallest of the fairy-wrens being only 10-13 cms. Ranges across the north of mainland Australia down the east coast to about Gloucester.  Found in open woodland, rainforest fringes, lantana, gardens.

PHEASANT COUCAL

180      PHEASANT COUCAL        Centropus phasianinus

Australia    (180)

Also known as Cane Pheasant and Swamp Pheasant. 50-70 cmd. Ranges across the top of mainland Australia and down the east coast as far as Sydney. Found in grassy swamps and flats, wet heathlands, rank growth in clearings, wastelands, sugar-cane, roadsides, mangrove-fringes, lantana thickets.

AZURE KINGFISHER

179     AZURE KINGFISHER          Alcedo azurea

Australia      (179)

17-19 cm. Ranges across the north of Australia and down the east coast to about half of Queensland and NSW, all Victoria and Tasmania. Found in roots of fresh and tidal creeks, streams in rain forests, lakes, swamps, mangroves.

Darwin, January 2024

SCARLET HONEYEATER

178       SCARLET HONEYEATER        Myzomela sanguinolenta

Australia      (178)

Coastal strip on East coast of Australia from Cooktown to Melbourne. 10-11 cm. Found in rain forests, blossoming eucalyptus, woodlands, coastal scrubs, heaths, mistletoes, gardens.

STRIPED HONEYEATER

photographed near Bribie Island, Queensland, July 2014

177           STRIPED HONEYEATER         Plectorhyncha lanceolata

Australia      (177)

21-23 cm. Found in drier scrub, woodlands, she oaks, mulga, mallee, coastal banksia, paperbark, mangroves and coastal gardens. range Range eastern half of Queensland, most of NSW except se and nw corners, also range across nw corner Of Victoria across to Adelaide in SA.

Darwin, January 2024

BROWN TREECREEPER

Photographed at Chiltern, Victoria

 176     BROWN TREECREEPER        Climacteris picumnus

Australia   (176)

Also known as Woodpecker. Found in drier forests/woodlands/scrubs, and margins of denser wooded areas. Range through eastern states of mainland but not Cape York and overlap into SA.

REGENT HONEYEATER

Regent Honeyeater, photographed near Chilton in Victoria, July 2014.

175         REGENT HONEYEATER         Xanthomyza phrygia

Australia    (175)

Also known as Warty-faced Honeyeater, and Flying Coachman. 20-23 cm. This bird is on the endangered list and there may be less than 1,000 left. Range is from southern Queensland down into Victoria, mainly along the Great Divide. Found in dry open forests, woodlands of red ironbark, yellow box, white and yellow gum, mistletoe on she-oaks. 

PIED HERON

174              PIED HERON             Ardea picata

Australia     (174)

43-52 cm. Found in coastal wetlands across n. Australia and down through central mainland. Travels and forages in flocks.

WELCOME SWALLOW

 

 173          WELCOME SWALLOW             Hirundo Nixon

Australia      (173)

Also known as Australian Swallow or House Swallow. 15 cm. Range is across Tasmania and mainland Australia except w of Queensland, most of NT (only found in central s. NT), nw of SA and ne two thirds of WA. Found open woodlands, grasslands, coasts, rivers, wetlands, urban areas.

BROWN QUAIL

172              BROWN QUAIL              Coturnix ypsilophora

Australia          (172)

Also known as Silver, Swamp or Tasmanian Quail. 16-22 cm. Largest of the native Quail. Eyes are red on the mainland, yellow in Tasmania. Found in rank grasses beside wetlands, drains, pastures, swampy coastal heaths, bracken, thickets, tropical grasslands and spinifex savannah. Range across n. e. se. and sw. mainland, and Tasmania.

BUFF-BANDED RAIL

171      BUFF-BANDED RAIL          Gallirallus philippensis

Australia        (171)

Also known as Banded Landrail or Banded Rail. Ranges across mainland Australia except in central Australia. Found on fringes of rain forests, swamps, wet paddocks, scrubby woodlands, heathlands, crops and near tourist resorts. 28-33 cm.

HOARY-HEADED GREBE

170             HOARY-HEADED GREBE             Poliocephalus poliocephalus

Australia            (170)

29-30 cm. Ranges all over Australia. Found in brackish and saltwater swamps, open lakes and reservoirs, and sheltered bays and inlets

GREAT CORMORANT

169           GREAT CORMORANT          Phalacrocorax carbo

Australia      (169)

Also called Black or Big Black Cormorant, or Black Shag. 72-92 cm, wingspan 1.2 m. Range most of Australia, except interior central w. WA. Found in large waters, coasts, bays, rivers, lakes, farm dams.

BLUE-BILLED DUCK

168     BLUE-BILLED DUCK         Oxyura australis

Australia      (168)

Range across se. and sw. Australia, including Tasmania. Found in well-vegetated swamps, large dams, lakes, and in winter more open waters. 37-44 cm, wingspan c. 60 cm.

Photographed near Altona, Victoria February 2015

CHESTNUT TEAL

167      CHESTNUT TEAL        Anas castanea

Australia        (167)

Range across se. Australia from Rockhampton to Eyre Peninsular, and sw. WA, all of Tasmania. Found in coastal swamps, inlets, wetlands, lakes. 40-48 cm.