RUFOUS FIELDWREN

Photograph at Innes National Park, South Australia March 2015.

534        RUFOUS FIELDWREN            Calamanthus campestris

Australia    (375)

13 cm. Range from sw. Q-far w. NSW-far nw. Vic w. through SA to s. WA, n to NW Cape and Gt sandy Desert, except sw corner. Found in inland/saltmarsh vegetation, saltbush, bluebush, spinifex, holy-poly, low shrubs in depressions in spinifex in gibber plains.

MALLEE FOWL

Photograph taken around historic town ruins at Innes National Park, South Australia March 2015

533         MALLEE FOWL              Leipoa ocellata

Australia        (374)

Also called Lowan and Malleehen. 55-61 cm. Found in mallee, acacia, paperbark, she oak, and other scrubs; eucalyptus woodlands; coastal heaths mostly on sandy or gravel soils. Range patchy from Pilliga Scrub (NSW) sw through mallee areas of s. NSW, nw Vic and Little Deseret, to Murray mallee of SA, s to Coorong; Yorke and Eyre Pens. and w SA; in WA from sw Nullarbor-Albany n to w coast from c Moore R. to Shark Bay. Recently rediscovered in NT and n SA.

PURPLE-GAPED HONEYEATER

Photographs taken on closed Gap Road, Innes National Park, South Australia March 2015

532         PURPLE-GAPED HONEYEATER            Lichenostomus cratitius

Australia        (373)

16-19 cm. Found in mallee, broombush, banksia/heathland, eucalypt woodlands, scrub on watercourses, blossoming street trees. Range across southern mainland: patchy across semi-arid areas: mallee sw NSW, c. and nw Vic, sto Little Desert-Bendigo,w to s Flinders Ran (SA), s to Coorong, Kangaroo Is; Yorke, Eyre Pens; w. coastaly to c Fowlers Bay. In WA w coastal from c. Eyre-Israelite Bay, to Stirling Ra. NP, n to Northam-Wongan Hills.

BARBARY DOVE

Photographed at Marino Rocks, Adelaide, South Australia March 2015

531      BARBARY DOVE              Streptopelia rosegrisea or Streptopelia risoria

Australia           (372)

A controversial dove. Comes from the north-west coast of Africa, home of the Berber people, hence the name. Believed descended from the African Collared Dove (Streptopelia rosegrisea), which is also known as Pink-headed Dove or Rosy-grey Turtle-dove; however the domesticated form is often referred to as Domestic Ringdove (Streptopelia risoria) and is also known as Domestic Collared Dove, Fawn Dove and Java Dove. Also appear similar to Collared Doves in Europe, except for eye colour. It is well established as an aviary bird; used to release at peace festivals, in magic acts and at weddings and funerals. Small pockets have been established in Australia, probably escapees from aviaries. Usually urban habitats. Populations known in Adelaide. Considered a pest.

ADELAIDE ROSELLA

Photographed at Victor Harbour, South Australia March 2015

530        ADELAIDE ROSELLA           Platycercus elegans adelaidae

AUSTRALIA          (371)

34-36 cm. Natural hybrid from Crimson/Yellow Rosellas; some are yellow, some washed red. Only found around Adelaide area from Fleurieu Peninsula to Flinders Ranges. Found in timbered valleys, open forests, woodlands, timbered watercourses, mallee, farmlands, roadsides, parks, gardens.

Juvenile Adelaide Rosella

ELEGANT PARROT

Photographed at a distance near Milang, South Australia March 2015

529          ELEGANT PARROT                 Neophema elegans

Australia          (370)

22-24 cm. Found in open forests, woodlands, scrubland, red river gums on watercourses, saltbush, mallee, mulga, clearings with rank growth, salt marshes. Range sw. WA and around Adelaide up to Flinders Ranges.

Next three photographs taken at Arno Bay, South Australia March 2015

WHITE-BROWED BABBLER

Photographed near Tailem Bend, South Australia March 2015

528          WHITE-BROWED BABBLER                Pomatostomus superciliosus

Australia            (369)

Also known as Happy Family, Stickbirds, Cackler, Twelve Apostles, and Jumper. 18-22 cm. Found in drier scrubby woodlands, mulga, other acacia, mallee, cypress pine; timber, scrub along watercourses,  saltbush. Range mainland Australia, mostly west of Divide and north of Divide in Vic., not in driest part of s. NT and n. SA.

SOUTHERN SCRUB-ROBIN

Photographed at Billiatt Conservation Park, South Australia March 2015

527         SOUTHERN SCRUB-ROBIN           Dryomodes brunneopygia

Australia           (368)

Found in mallee, broom brush, other dry scrubs, lignam on playpens, heaths, coastal tea-tree thickets. 20-23 cm. range mallee of c/sw. NSW, n and e to c. Condobolin; nw Vic. e to c. Wedderburn, s to Little Desert NP; se SA and Murray mallee, n to s. FlindersRas NP, w to Eyre Pen-Kangaroo Is. In WA w from Madura, nw to Shark Bay, inland to c. Norseman-Southern Cross-Perenjori; absent from forested sw.

REGENT PARROT

Photographed near Pinaroo, South Australia March 2015

526        REGENT PARROT               Polytelis anthopeplus

Australia           (367)

In e. Australia found in river red gums and black box forests; adjacent mallee-spinifex; native cypress, farmland, weedy watercourses, clearings, vineyards, crops, stubble, golf-courses. In sw. WA, wheatbelt farmlands, timbered watercourses, clearings in woodlands, forests, saltbush. Range sw  e. Aust around the border of SA/NSW/Vic across to Murray Bridge; in west sw. WA from Shark Bay down. 38-41 cm.

CHESTNUT-CROWNED BABBLER

These Babblers did not want to be photographed. They can be identified from the wing pattern as well as the head. Photographed south of Lake Menindee, NSW March 2015

 525           CHESTNUT-CROWNED BABBLERS             Pomatostmus ruficeps

Australia          (366)

Found drier inland scrubs/woodlands: mallee, mulga, other acacias; cypress pine, belar; on stony ground, sandhills, lignum, Old Man saltbush, samphire. Ranges across se. inland Australia: from sw. Q. n. to Windorah, e. to Mitchell-Dirranbandi; w. NSW, e. to Ligthning Ridge-Nyngan-Condobolin-Moulamein; far nw Vic., e. to Swan Hill; e. to sa, s. to c. Swan Reach; w. to Quorn-w. of Flinders Ras-Maree-e. of L. Eyre to Innamincka. 21-23 cm.

WHITE-BACKED SWALLOW

Photographed at Wilcannia, NSW  March 2015

524           WHITE-BACKED SWALLOW             Cheramoeca leucosternus

Australia          (365)

14-15 cm. Found in open inland, watercourses, dunes; ranges and foothills; inland lakes, river valleys;creek-banks, sandpits, quarries in areas with suitable sandy soil for nesting. Widespread across the bottom two-thirds of Australian mainland, except sw coast WA and coast of Victoria.

SOUTHERN WHITEFACE

Photographed near Cobar, NSW March 2015

523          SOUTHERN WHITEFACE            Aphelocephala leucopsis

Australia       (364)

Also known as Eastern Whiteface, Western Whiteface and Squeaker. 10-12.5 cm. Found in dry, sparse open forest/woodlands, inland scrubs e.g. mallee, mulga, cypress pine; saltbush, dead trees, stumps, black box/lignum flats. Range most of NSW except ne. down to Sydney; Vict. except southern coast; SA except around Adelaide; WA bottom half except sw. corner; bottom of NT.

WANDERING WHISTLING-DUCK

522          WANDERING WHISTLING-DUCK              Dendrocygna arcuata

Australia        (363)

Also called Diving Whistling-duck. 55-61 cm. Ranges across tropical and subtropical n. Australia, from Fitroy R. (WA), to se. Q; ; NSW, Vic., sw. WA. Also in Philippines, Indonesia, PNG and Pacific Islands. habitat is well-vegetated lagoons and swamps, flooded grassland, pools in floodplains, river margins, well-vegetated large dams, occasionally tidal areas.