SPOTTED SCRUBWREN

Photographed at Port Lincoln National Park, South Australia, March 2015

1257                      SPOTTED SCRUBWREN                

AUSTRALIA                         754

Recently split and elevated to full species, was once a subspecies of White-browed Scrubwren.

Photographed at Cheyenne's Beach, WA November 2016

BLUE ROCK THRUSH

Photographed in Onslow, Western Australia, July 2018

1256                   EASTERN BLUE ROCK THRUSH                Monticola solitarius 

AUSTRALIA                 753

Found on rocky shorelines, cliffs, open stony country, coastal towns. Solitary, though occasionally in groups on rocks. Breeds in S Europe, N Africa, Central Asia, China, Japan and N Philippines; migrates to Sumatra to breed. Very rare vagrant to Australia; recorded at Noosa 1997.

BLUE PETREL

Photographed on Eaglehawk pelagic, Tasmania, June 2018

1255                   BLUE PETREL                   Halobaena caerulea.   

AUSTRALIA                752

Found in the seas off southern Australia from c. Fremantle around to c Sydney. Mostly July -Oct. Commonly beach washed after storms. Breeds on sub-antarctic Islands.

Port MacDonnell pelagic, South Australia, 25 August, 2019

COMMON PHEASANT

Photographed on King Island, June 2018

(* 264)               PHEASANT                Phasianus colchicus 

AUSTRALIA                  751

Also known as Ring-necked Pheasant. Introduced by Europeans, now found on King Island in Bass Strait and on Rottnest Island, WA.  Found in open scrubland, vegetated sand dunes, riverbanks and agricultural land with plenty of cover.

WILD TURKEY

Photographed on King Island, June 2018

(*1204)                     WILD TURKEY                  Meleagris gallopavo

AUSTRALIA               750

Found on farmland, grassland, forest edges. usually small flocks, foraging on ground. Common on King Island and Flinder's Island.

WESTLAND PETREL

Photographed on Eaglehawk pelagic, Tasmania, June 2018

1254                      WESTLAND PETREL               Procellaria westlandica

AUSTRALIA                 749

Also known as Westland Black Petrel. Large member of petrel family. Majority of life spent at sea but breeds in forests of west coast of South Island New Zealand. Nocturnal and hunt at night, preying on fish, squid and crustaceans.

GREY PETREL

Photographed on Eaglehawk Neck pelagic, Tasmania, June 2018

 1253                  GREY PETREL                  Procellaria cinerea

AUSTRALIA              748

Also known as Brown Petrel, Pedlunker, and Grey Shearwater. Occurs in open seas of Southern Hemisphere, mainly between 49 degrees South and 32 degrees South. Numbers are decreasing and believed to be only 400,000 left. Breed in burrows in the ground, laying only one egg.

RUSTY GRASSWREN

Photographed at Larks Quarry, Queensland, April 2018

1252                   RUSTY GRASSWREN                  Amytornis rowleyi 

AUSTRALIA                   747

Restricted to spinifex associations, with or without light tree cover. Was subspecies of Striated until recent split into full species. Found in central Queensland.

LITTLE BUTTON-QUAIL

Photographed near The Three Ways, Northern Territory, April 2018

1251                  LITTLE BUTTON-QUAIL                   Turnix velox

AUSTRALIA                746

Widely distributed over most of mainland except extreme north, sw and se. Found in dryish grasslands and grassy woodlands; can be common in crops, pasture and stubble. Partly migratory, tending to be more common in inland in winter.

Chick, photographed near Bedourie, Queensland, April 2018

YELLOW-RUMPED MANNIKIN

Photographed at Katherine, Northern Territory, April 2018

1250                 YELLOW-RUMPED MANNIKIN                  Lonchura flaviprymna

AUSTRALIA              745

Also known as Yellow-rumped Munia. Found in eastern Kimberley, WA, and nw NT. Usually in subtropical to tropical mangroves, moist savanna and wetland habitat.

Katherine January 2024

SANDHILL GRASSWREN

Photographed near Uluru, Northern Territory, April 2018

744                  SANDHILL GRASSWREN                  Amytornis oweni

AUSTRALIAN                 744

Found in southern NT, western SA, eastern WA. Was considered a subspecies of Striated Grasswren, now split to full species. Restricted to spinifex associations, with or without shrubs or light tree cover, preferring areas with tall dense spinifex cover.

THICK-BILLED GRASSWREN

Photographed at Coober Pedy, South Australia, April 2018

1248              THICK-BILLED GRASSWREN                   Amytornis modestus

AUSTRALIA              743

Restricted to chenopad shrubland, sometimes with widely scattered trees, both on plains and low rocky ranges. Mostly found in the drainage basins of Lake Eyre (sap indulkanna), Frome (sup curnomona), and Flinders Ranges (sup raglessi) and newly rediscovered in nw NSW (sap obscurer).

GOULD'S BRONZE-CUCKOO

Photographed on Saibai, Torres Straits, March 2018

1247                   GOULD'S BRONZE CUCKOO                Chrysococcyx minutillus russatus

AUSTRALIA                   742

Found in north-eastern Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea. Taxonomic distinctiveness is uncertain and often lumped with the Little Bronze Cuckoo. Habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

COLLARED IMPERIAL PIGEON

Photographed on Boigu Island, Torres Straits, March 2018.

1246                COLLARED IMPERIAL PIGEON                 Ducula mullerii

AUSTRALIA                 741

Native to New Guinea and adjacent islands; found in northern and southern New Guinea and the Art Islands, and recorded on Boigu and Saibai. Inhabits lowland rainforest, swamp forest, mangroves and riverine vegetation. Feeds on fruit from forest trees and insects.

Photographed on Saibai, Torres Straits, March 2018