WESTERN WATTLEBIRD

Photographed at Esperence, Western Australia March 2015.

576              WESTERN WATTLEBIRD                Anthochaera carunculata

Australia              (419)

For a long while this was considered a sub-species of the Little Wattlebird, but has now been recognised as a separate species. 32-36 cm. Range across sw WA. 

WESTERN QUAIL-THRUSH

Photograph near Mount Magnet, Western Australia April 2015

575            WESTERN QUAIL-THRUSH             Cinclosoma marginatum 

Australia      (418)

18-24 cm. Found in mulga-eucalypts, other acacia scrubs, on stony ground; tea-tree/mallee/grevillia on rocky hillocks. Range far sw. NT, n. to Kintore, w. to coast at Shark Bay(WA); s. inland to c. Kalgoorlie-Ct Victorian Desert, e. to Everard Ras (SA).

SLATY-BACKED THORNBILL

Photographed on Nallan Station, Cue, Western Australia April 2015

574          SLATY-BACKED THORNBILL            Acanthiza robustirostris

Australia              (417)

Found in dense mulga,; herbage near salt lakes. 9.5 cm. Range: w. inland Aust.: from Charleville(Q), w. through s. NT, s. to Everard-Musgrave Ras. (SA); to w. coast c. Geraldton-Carnarvon, n. inland to Peak Hill-Ophthalmia R., s. to Yalgoo-Broad Arrow.

WESTERN BOWERBIRD

Photographed on Nallan Station, Cue, Western Australia April 2015, also seen on Coodardy Station.

573          WESTERN BOWERBIRD               Chlamydera guttata

Australia             (416)

Ranges interior and WA from Everard-Musgrave Ras. (nw SA), through ranges of s. NT, e. to Jervois Ra.,n. to MacDonald Downs-Mt Allen, w. to Rwlinson /Warburton Ras. (WA), Pilbara to coast c. eighty Mile Beach, s. to GascoyneR.-Cue-Kathleen Valley-Leonora. Found in rocky hills, frequently visits rock figs.

Bower on Coodardy Station, Cue.

GULL-BILLED TERN

These were photographed at Cue, Western Australia April 2015

572            GULL-BILLED TERN              Sterna nilotica

Australia             (415)

37-43 cm; wingspan 1-1.2 m. Found near fresher brackish wetlands; beaches, mudflats, inland swamps, lakes, grasslands, crops, ploughed lands, airfields. Range all over Australia except driest inland central e. WA and nw. SA. Several races, some of which breed in the inland while others migrate.

DIAMOND DOVE

Photographed near Cue, Western Australia April 2015

571           DIAMOND DOVE             Geopelia cuneata

Australia            (414)

19-22 cm. Found in drier grassy woodlands, scrub near water, wooded watercourses. Ranges across drier parts of all mainland states, except driest deserts; mostly absent from coastal s. Aust., s. WA(s. of Murchison R.) and Nullarbor Plain: scarce Cape York Pen. (Q).

ORANGE CHAT

Photographed near Cue, Western Australia April 2015

570          ORANGE CHAT            Epthianura aurifrons

Australia           (413)

10-11.5 cm. Found in sparse grasslands, gibber; saltbush, bluebush, samphire, salt lakes. Ranges across inland Aust., sparsely to w. and s. coast, WA, e. to Coorong (SA).

BOURKE'S PARROT

Photographed near Cue, Western Australia April 2015

569          BOURKE'S PARROT            Neopsephotus bourkii

Australia           (412)

Also known as Night or Sundown Parrot. 18- 22 cm. Found in mulga or other acacia scrubs; native cypress; open eucalypt woodlands. Ranges across s. interior, from c. Blackall-Cunnamulla (Q) and Walgett-Hilston (NSW), to w. coast WA, between Moore R. and NW Cape; n. to Devil's Marbles (NT), s. to Port Augusta-Gt Victorian Desert.

BLACK-BREASTED BUZZARD

Photographed near Cue, Western Australia April 2015

568        BLACK-BREASTED BUZZARD                 Hamirostra melanosternon

Australia               (411)

Also known as Black-breasted Kite. Found in grasslands, sandhills, gibber deserts; timbered watercourses and waterholes;tropical woodlands; sparsely vegetated offshore islands; coasts. Ranges across e. inland Aust., coastal n. and w. Aust; se. Q., s. NSW, s. WA. 51-61 cm; windspan c. 1.5 m; female larger.