LITTLE BLACK CORMORANT

164         LITTLE BLACK CORMORANT              Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

Australia       (164)

Also known as Little Black Shag. 58-64 cm, wingspan c. 1 m. Range across most of Australia, except driest interior. Found in coastal waters, bays, inlets, rivers, swamps, lakes.

GREY SHRIKE-THRUSH

 163          GREY SHRIKE-THRUSH            Colluricincla harmonica

Australia     (163)

Widespread throughout Australia except pocket around Birdesville and pocket in central n. WA. Found in eucalyptus forests/woodlands, coastal scrubs, mallee, mulga, saltbush, watercourses, farms. 22-26 cm.

Subspecies strigata, photographed Tasmania February 2017

FLAME ROBIN

162              FLAME ROBIN               Petroica phoenicea

Australia            (162)

Ranges across se Australia and Tasmania. In summer found in forests, woodlands, scrub; in winter open woodlands, plains, paddocks, golf courses and parks. 12.5 - 14 cm.

YELLOW-RUMPED THORNBILL

161         YELLOW-RUMPED THORNBILL       Acanthiza chrysorrhoa   

Australia          (161)

Largest of Thornbills. Found in short grass on edges of woodlands, scrubland, paddocks, golf-courses, farms, gardens. 11-13 cm. Ranges across Tasmania, Victoria, NSW and sw half WA, central Queensland, sw NT, and all SA except ne.

PIED BUTCHERBIRD

160        PIED BUTCHERBIRD         Cracticus nigrogularis

Australia    (160)

Found in drier woodlands, sub-inland, drier scrub, watercourses, pastoral land, roadsides, gardens. Range is mainland except drier deserts, Sydney and s. coast, e. and s. Victoria, much of SA, sw WA. Beautiful singing voice. 32-36 cm.

GREY BUTCHERBIRD

 159             GREY BUTCHERBIRD             Cracticus torquatus

Australia        (159)

Also known as Silver-backed Butcherbird, Derwent or Tasmanian Jackass. 24-30 cm. Range includes Tasmania, SA, Victoria, NSW, se half of Queensland, bottom half and top fifth of WA, areas to north and to south of NT. Found on margins of rain forests, vine-scrub, paperbarks, woodlands, coastal scrub, roadsides, parks.

Three subspecies in Australia:
torquatus:              over much of Australia, from southern half of WA to most of Q, NSW
leucopterus:          east coast of NSW, east and se of Victoria
cinereus:               eastern half of Tasmania.

Subspecies torquatus, photographed near Whyalla, South Australia, September 2018

BAR-SHOULDERED DOVE

158            BAR-SHOULDERED DOVE              Geopelia humeralis

Australia         (158)

Also called Pandanus Pigeon. 26-30 cm. Range across e. and n. coastal Australia from Shark Bay to Illawarra. Found in vegetation near water: tropical, sub-tropical scrubs, inland and coastal, gullies, gorges, mangroves, woodlands, lantana, Pandanus thickets.

HOODED ROBIN

157       HOODED ROBIN          Melanodryas cucullata

Australia       (157)

Ranges across drier woodlands/forests on mainland except Cape York, driest deserts and wetter coast.  Found in drier forests, woodlands, scrub with fallen logs, debris; mallee, cypress pines, mulga, cleared paddock, banksia dominated coastal regions. 14-17 cm, smaller in the n.  Photos taken near Rylston, June 2014.

GREY-CROWNED BABBLER

156          GREY-CROWNED BABBLER             Pomatostomus temporalis

Australia      (156)

Also known as Happy Family, Yahoo, Red-breasted Babbler. 29 cm. Found in open forests, woodlands, scrubland, farmland, outer suburbs. Range across n. Australia down to Pilbara in WA, most of NT except sw and se, Queensland except sw, NSW except se and w., found in top third Victoria except nw, and in SA found in central n and in pocket se of state.

PIED CURRAWONG

155          PIED CURRAWONG                 Strepera graculina

Australia        (155)

Found in Alpine forests, rainforests, forests, woodlands, coastal scrub, garbage tips, gardens. Range along e. coast from Cape york to se SA, inland as far as Longreach. 42-50 cm, male larger. Singles, pairs or autumn/winter flocks.

WHITE-HEADED PIGEON

154          WHITE-HEADED PIGEON             Columba Ieucomela

Australia        (154)

Also known as Baldy or Baldy Pigeon. 38-41 cm. Range is down e. Australia from Cooktown to Bermagui, and inland as far as Bunya Mountains. Found in tropical and sub-tropical rainforests, scrubs, timber on watercourses, feed on fruit in canopy and seed on ground.

SOOTY OYSTERCATCHER

153     SOOTY OYSTERCATCHER          Haematopus fuliginosus

Australia    (153)

Also known as Black Oystercatcher, Redbill, Black Redbill. Range all around coast of Australia including Tasmania, where suitable habitat. Found on intertidal and rocky and coral reefs, visits mudflats. Less common than pied oystercatcher. 40-52 cm. Photos taken at Shellharbour, June 2014.

EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH

152     EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH        Carduelis carduelis

Australia       (152)

Native from w. Europe, n. Africa to c. Asia, introduced into Australia in 1860s. Now range from Brisbane, e ad s. NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and se corner SA. Found grasslands, wastelands, farmland, dunes, beside roads. 12-13.5 cm. Photos taken at Shellharbour, June 2014.

BEAUTIFUL FIRETAIL

151         BEAUTIFUL FIRETAIL          Stagonpleura bella

Australia      (151)

Range is along the coast from Hunter River in NSW to Adelaide, and all of Tasmnia. Found in damp, dense vegetation, coastal heaths, paperbarks, near creeks, woodlands with dense undergrowth. 11.5-13 cm. Pictures on this page were taken near Jamberoo, June 2014.

FOREST KINGFISHER

150        FOREST KINGFISHER          Todiramphus macleayii

Australia       (150)

Range is ne Australia from tip WA/NT border to Macleay River in NSW. Found in open forest/woodlands, watercourse vegetation, farmlands, cane fields and beaches.

SACRED KINGFISHER

149           SACRED KINGFISHER          Todiramphus sanctus

Australia      (149)

20-23 cm.  Range all over Australia except interior (central western WA). Located in open forests/woodlands, margins of rivers, lakes, seashores and parks and gardens.

YELLOW-THROATED SCRUBWREN

148      YELLOW-THROATED SCRUBWREN            Sericornis citreogularis

Australia   (148)

Found in the gloomy understory of coastal/mountain rain forests, woodlands, gullies, often near water. Ranges are the highlands from Cooktown to Townsville to inland Atherton; and from Bunya Mountains down to Illawarra region. 12-15 cm.