Wednesday, May 18, 2016

CHESNUT RAIL

Photographed at Buffalo Creek, Darwin May 2016
777              CHESTNUT RAIL            Eulabeornis castaneoventris

Australia           (621)

Found in coastal mangroves, tidal creeks and exposed mud. 44-52 cm; male larger. Range: coastal n. Australia and islands, from c. Derby (WA) to Top End (NT), to se Gulf of Carpentaria. Sedentary.




Darwin, January 2024




Sunday, May 15, 2016

RED GOSHAWK

Photographed in Kakadu, Northern Territory May 2016

776          RED GOSHAWK              Erythrotriorchis radiatus

Australia            (620)

Found in open forests, woodlands, especially near rivers, wetlands; rainforest fringes. 50-61 cm, span to 1.35 m, Female much larger. Range: coastal and sub-coastal n. and ne. Aust. , from Kimberley (WA), formerly s. to Sydney but rarely seen s. of Q-NSW border. Rare, declining.







Saturday, May 14, 2016

CHESTNUT-QUILLED ROCK-PIGEON

Photographed in Kakadu National Park, May 2016
775         CHESTNUT-QUILLED ROCK-PIGEON           Petrophassa rufippennis

Australia             (619)

Found on sandstone escarpments, with gullies, gorges, tumbled rocks; eucalyptus, figs, other softwoods, pockets of rainforest; nearby grassy woodlands. 28-32 cm. Range: west Arnham Land (NT), from c. Oenpelli s. to Katherine R., mostly in Kakadu NP. Locally common; sedentary.

Note: clear views of two birds but these were the only photographs Until replaced.


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

WHITE-LINED HONEYEATER

Photographed at Gubara, Kakadu, Northern Territory May 2016

774     WHITE-LINED HONEYEATER          Meliphaga albilineata

Australia     (618)

Found in rainforests, paperbarks; eucalyptus woodlands on sandstone escarpments; hills. 19 cm. Range: nominate race n and w escarpments of Arnhem Land Plateau (NT). Race fordiana: nw Kimberley (WA). Locally common.





Monday, May 9, 2016

RUFOUS OWL

Photographed in Darwin Botanic Gardens, Darwin May 2016
773           RUFOUS OWL             Ninox rufa

Australia            (617)

Found mostly in lowland (but also some highland) rainforest; patches of monsoon forest; vine scrub, gallery forest along creeks, swamp-woodland, mangroves, eucalyptus woodlands adjacent to above habitats. 45-55 cm, male larger. Range: broken distribution in suitable habitat from Prince Regent River in nw. Kimberley (WA) to Top End (NT); and from Cape York Pen. (Q), s to near Byfield inane to Atherton Tableland-upper Burdekin R. and Blackdown Tableland NP, sw of Dingo. Dark race , queenslandica, occurs in ne Q, s of Cooktown. Rare, Sedentary.





Friday, May 6, 2016

GREEN-BACKED GERYGONE

Photographed at Buffalo Creek, Darwin May 2016
772             GREEN-BACKED GERYGONE          Gerygone chlorontus

Australia           (616)

Found in tall dense vegetation, especially near water and on scrubby escarpments: monsoon and heavy mixed forests; bamboo-thickets, paper-bark swamps, mangroves, eucalyptus forest;large fig trees, gardens. 9-10 cm. Range: coastal, sub-coastal nw Aust., from Top End (NT), incl. Groote Eylandt-Melville I. and other Is. to w. Kimberley-Broome (WA) Common, sedentary.




Monday, May 2, 2016

PARTRIDGE PIGEON

Photographed at Darwin River, May 2016
771           PARTRIDGE PIGEON               Geophaps smithii

Australia        (615)

Found in woodlands with short grass; open, rocky or sandy ground by streams, watercourses; roadsides; areas of newly burned grass or bush; seldom far from water. 25-28 cm. Range: coastal nw Aust., from Kimberley (WA), s to Cockatoo Spring; Top End (NT), s. to Mataranka-Mallapunyah; possibly into extreme nw Q. Locally common, sedentary.





RUFOUS-BANDED HONEYEATER

Photographed at Fogg Dam, Northern Territory May 2016
770             RUFOUS-BANDED HONEYEATER                 Canopophila albogularis

Australia          (614)

Found in watercourse vegetation, mangroves, paperbark, monsoon forests, eucalypt woodlands, coastal scrubs, cultivation, gardens. 12-13 cm. Range: coastal n. Aust. and islands: from Top End (NT), s. to Victoria R. Downs-Katherine-Roper R.; e. on Gulf coast to w. and ne Cape York Pen. (Q), s to c. Lakefield NP. Common.




RAINBOW PITTA

Photographed at Douglas River Crossing, Northern Territory May 2016
769            RAINBOW PITTA             Pitta Iris

Australia           (613)

Also known as Black-breasted Pitta. 16-19 cm. Found in monsoon rainforest, vine scrubs on watercourses, bamboo thickets, mangroves. Range: pockets of suitable habitat from coastal nw Kimberley and islands (WA) to Top End (NT) e to Groote Eylandt. Fairly common, sedentary.





Monday, April 25, 2016

HOODED PARROT

Photographed near Mataranka, Northern Territory April 2016.
768             HOODED PARROT               Psephotus dissimilis

Australia           (612)

Found in dry, open woodlands; paperbarks, spinifex; eucalyptus in rocky, open grasslands bordering  watercourses; usually with termite mounds. 25-27 cm. Range: confined to Top End (NT), e to w. edge of Arnham Land escarpment. Patty, uncommon.




Tuesday, April 19, 2016

FLOCK BRONZE-WING

Photographed near Winton, Queensland April 2016
767              FLOCK BRONZEWING           Phaps histrionica

Australia      (611)

Also known as Flock Pigeon. Found on treeless grassy plains, saltbush, spinifex, open mulga, tanks, bore drains, flooded playpens, watercourses, river pools. 26-31 cms. Range: Barkly Tablelands, e NT, and adjacent Q., e. to c. Hughenden-Longreach, casual to e. coast near Townsville; w. to Kimberley Region (WA)