LESSER SOOTY OWL

Photographed at Kingfisher Lodge, Julatten, Queensland September 2015

659        LESSER SOOTY OWL        Tyto multipunctata

Australia           (501)

Also known as Silvery Owl. 38-38 cm. Found install tropical mountain forests; adjacent tall eucalyptforests. Range: rainforests and margins, adjacent tall eucalypt forests of Great Dividing Range., from Cooktown to c. Paluma, near Townsville, and Hinchenbrook I. (ne Q). Sedentary.

PAPUAN FROGMOUTH

Photographed at Kingfisher Lodge, Jelatten, Queensland september 2015

658             PAPUAN FROGMOUTH     Podargus papuensis

Australia            (500)

50-60 cm. Found in the margins of rainforests, tracks, clearings, eucalypt woodlands, scrubs, watercourse vegetation, swamp, dune woodland, mangroves, suburban parks with trees; campgrounds. Range: ne Q., and islands: large, pale race rogersi: C. York, s on Gyulf coast to Staten R., s. on e. coast to c. Cooktown; smaller darker rainforest dwelling race baileyi: s to c. Mt Spec NP, near Townsville. Common in n., scare, mostly coastal s. of Cooktown. Sedentary.

PIED-IMPERIAL PIGEON

Photographed on the Cairns Esplanade, Cairns, Queensland September 2015

657             PIED-IMPERIAL PIGEON         Ducula bicolor

Australia          (499)

Also known as Nutmeg, Torresian Imperial or Torres Strait Pigeon. Found in rainforests; adjacent eucalypt woodland; coastal scrubs; creeks, rivers, mangroves; vegetated cays and islands. 38-44 cm. Range: coastal n. Aust., and many islands, incl. Gt Barrier Reef, from Kimberley (WA) to near Broad Sound (Q). Kimberley population resident, non-migratory. population from Top End (NT) to e. Q. migratory arriving from Indonesia-PNG arriving in Aug, departing Feb-April.

GREY-HEADED ROBIN

photographed at Kingfisher Birdwatching Lodge, Julatten, Queensland September 2015

656       GREY-HEADED ROBIN               Heteromyias albispecularis

Australia    (498)

16-18 cm. Found mostly in highland rainforests and margins of tracks, roads, lawns in rainforest parks, but to near sea-level where habitat runs unbroken down from highlands. Range: ne. Queensland: coastal highlands (and some lowlands) from near Cooktown to My. Spec, near Townsville. Common. Sedentary.

YELLOW-SPOTTED HONEYEATER

Photographed at Crystal Creek caravan park, September 2015

655          YELLOW SPOTTED HONEYEATER      Meliphaga notata

Australia         (497)

Also known as Lesser Lewin Honeyeater. 17.5 cm. Found in rainforests, monsoon forests, vine scrubs, eucalypt woodlands, watercourses, mangroves, bananas, cultivation, lantana, gardens; mostly below c. 400m. Range: ne. Queensland from Cape York s. to Aurukun R. on w. coast; Townsville on e. coast in lower foothills, coastal islands. Nomadic.

LOVELY FAIRYWREN

Photographed at Crystal Creek caravan Park, Queensland September 2015

654          LOVELY FAIRYWREN       Malurus amabilis

Australia        (496)

11.5-13 cm. Found in margins, clearings/tracks in rainforests; vine scrub, swamp-woodland, mangroves; well-vegetated watercourses, wastelands. Range: ne. Queensland: from Townsville-Atherton Tableland to Cape York Pen., s. on w coast to c. Edward R.  Common, sedentary.

WHITE-BROWED ROBIN

Photographed at Crystal Creek Caravan Park, Queensland September 2015

653          WHITE-BROWED ROBIN          Poecilodryas supercilious

Australia        (495)

14-17 cm. Found in Q. in rainforests, vine scrub, vegetation along watercourses; coastal scrubs, nearby eucalypt woodlands, especially in wet season. In nw. Aust. pockets of monsoon rainforest, swamp woodlands, bamboo and pandanus thickets by watercourses and springs; mangroves. Range: Nominate race: coastal ne Q, vegetation rivers and streams; highland rainforests n. from Rockhampton to C. York, s. to Mitchell R. on w. Pen. coast. race cerviniventris: from Gregory R., in Gulf lowlands (Q), w. on streams, rivers, marginally to mangroves, to w. Kimberley region and upper Fitzroy R. (WA). Local, patchy; generally uncommon. Sedentary.

HORNBILL FRIARBIRD

Photographed at Crystal Creek Caravan Park, Queensland September 2015

652           HORNED FRIARBIRD         Philemon yorki

Australia        (494)   

Newly split from the Helmeted Friarbird. 

EUNGELLA HONEYEATER

Photographed near the village of Eungella, Queensland September 2015.

651          EUNGELLA HONEYEATER              Lichenostomus hinwoodi

Australia          (493)             

Found in rainforest above c. 600 m 16-18 CM; lower eucalypt woodlands in winter. Endemic to Australia. Range limited to Eungella NP-Mt Dalrymple State Forest on Clarke Range., 80 kms w. of Mackay (Q).

AUTRALIAN LITTLE BITTERN

Photographed at North Lakes, Queensland, September 2015

 650            AUSTRALIAN LITTLE BITTERN           Lxobrychus dubius

Australia         (492)

Also known as the Black-backed Bittern or the Black-backed Least Bittern. One of the smallest herons in the world, it is 25-36 cm. Ranges mainly in the south-east of the mainland with patches along the east coast and in south-west WA. Mainly found in freshwater wetlands in vegetation of reeds and sedges, and inundated shrub thickets; occasionally in brackish and saline wetlands, such as mangrove swamps.