GREY WAGTAIL

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016

(see  313)              GREY WAGTAIL                   Motacilla cinerea

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)             685

In Australia found near running water in disused quarries, sandy, rocky streams in escarpments and rainforests, sewerage ponds, ploughed fields, airfields. 18-19 cm. Breeds from w Europe to Asia; migrates to Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia and NG.

CHRISTMAS ISLAND THRUSH

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016

955              CHRISTMAS ISLAND THRUSH            Turdus poliocephalus erythropleurus

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)            684

Also known as Christmas Thrush. Subspecies of Island Thrush. Endemic to Christmas Island.21 cm; 34 cm wingspan. Found in most habitat on the island, including rainforest and gardens; less common in Pandanus, dense regrowth and post-mining wasteland.

CHRISTMAS ISLAND GOSHAWK

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016

954               CHRISTMAS ISLAND GOSHAWK          Accipiter fasciatus natalis

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)              683

Also called Christmas Goshawk. Found in tropical rainforests, regrowth forest and edges of clearings on Christmas Island. Endemic to Christmas Island.

ASIAN HOUSE MARTIN

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016

953             ASIAN HOUSE MARTIN              Delichon dasypus

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)                  682

There are three subspecies, all breed in the Himalayas and in central and eastern Asia, and winter lower in the mountains or southeast Asia. Migratory.

One of the first records of this bird in Australian territory.

CHRISTMAS SWIFTLET

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016.

952             CHRISTMAS SWIFTLET                Collocalia esculenta natalis

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)               681

Also known as Christmas Island Swiftlet, Christmas Glossy Swiftlet and Christmas Cave Swiftlet. 9-11 cm. Restricted to Christmas Island where it is commonly seen above the tropical rainforest; nests in caves in the limestone cliffs in complete darkness.

ABBOTT'S BOOBY

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016.

951            ABBOTT'S BOOBY           Papasula abbotti

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)               680

c. 80 cm. Breeds Christmas Island and maybe elsewhere in region, dispersing into nearby seas and n to Java. World population eat. at c. 7000 only; endangered.

CHRISTMAS ISLAND WHITE-EYE

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016.

950          CHRISTMAS WHITE-EYE            Zosterops natalis

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)            679

Also known as Christmas Island White-eye. Found in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist scrubland. Endemic to Christmas Island. 

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CHRISTMAS FRIGATEBIRD

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016

949            CHRISTMAS FRIGATEBIRD             Frigata andrewsi

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Island)            678

Also known as Christmas Island Frigatebird.   Found in tropical seas, oceanic islands, coasts. Breeds April-June, Christmas Island; ranges through tropical Indian Ocean to coasts of India, se Asia to Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Philippines. Critically endangered.

CHRISTMAS IMPERIAL PIGEON

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016

948           CHRISTMAS IMPERIAL PIGEON                Ducula whartoni

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)               677

Inhabits rainforests and secondary growth with fruiting trees. 39 cm length. Endemic to Christmas Island.

EYEBROWED THRUSH

Photographed on Cocos Islands, December 2016

947              EYEBROWED THRUSH         Turdus obscurus

AUSTRALIA (Cocos islands)         676

Found in dark, coniferous forests and taiga eastwards from Siberia. Strongly migratory, wintering south to southeast Asia and Indonesia. First sighting on mainland was at Malinda (Q) 2011.

RED-FOOTED BOOBY

Photographed on Cocos Islands, December 2016

946                 RED-FOOTED BOOBY                  Sula sula

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)            675

In Australian Region breeds on Raine Island, cays in sw Coral Seaand on Gt Barrier Reef s to Capricorn Group; also Ashmore Reef, Christmas Island; stragglers to coastal waters of se Q. -ne NSW, especially after cyclones. 66-80 cm; span c. 1.4 m.

TREE PIPIT

945              TREE PIPIT             Anthus trivialis

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)          674

Breeds across most of Europe and temperate western and central Asia; long-distance migrant to Africa and south-eastern Asia.

NOTE:  this is the first record, and first photographs, of this bird in Australian territory.

SAUNDERS'S TERN

944                    SAUNDERS'S TERN             Sternula saundersi

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)           673

Not very well known tern, also called Black-shafted Tern, and often mistaken for Little Tern. Inhabits coastal areas, and up to two kilometres inland, ranging up to 15 kilometres out to sea when feeding. Found in Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Madagascar, Pakistan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Small flock appears on South Island in the Cocos Islands, this may be just a few birds or up to 20.

Photographed Cocos Islands, January 2023

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON

Photographed on Cocos Islands December 2016

(see  864)             BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON             Nycticorax nycticorax

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)            672

Found in marshes, swamps, rice paddies, mangroves. 58-65 cm. Found throughout a large part of the world, except in the coldest regions and Australasia.

CHINESE SPARROWHAWK

Photographed on Cocos Islands December 2016

(see 861)          CHINESE SPARROWHAWK            Accipiter soloensis

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)           671

Found in open country, wooded areas; often seen in migrating flocks over forests. 29-35 cm. Breeds W,C,E,S China, taiwan, N,S Korea, S Ussuriland; winters Sundas, Philippines, Sulawesi, N Moluccan, rarely New Guinea.