The chowchilla (Orthonyx spaldingii) is a passerine bird in the family Orthonychidae. It is endemic to Australia.
| Chowchilla | |
|---|---|
| |
| Pair, Paluma, Queensland | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Orthonychidae |
| Genus: | Orthonyx |
| Species: | O. spaldingii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Orthonyx spaldingii Ramsay, 1868
| |
Taxonomy
editIn their 1999 study, Schodde and Mason recognise two adjoining subspecies, O. s. spaldingii and O. s. melasmenus with a zone of intergradation.[2]
Description
editUnmistakable thrush-like, ground-dwelling, birds. Males and females largely dark brown with white eye-ring, tail-feather shafts extend as spines beyond feather-vanes; males with white throat, breast and belly; females with bright rufous throat and upper breast, white lower breast and belly.
Distribution and habitat
editThe chowchilla is restricted to upland and lowland tropical rainforests of north-eastern Queensland.
Behaviour
editDiet
editMainly invertebrates, but also small vertebrates.
Voice
editContinuous chattering, singing and other complex vocalisations.
Breeding
editNests on or near ground, often on ferns, stumps or logs. Builds a bulky, dome-shaped stick-nest with a clutch of one, possibly sometimes two, white eggs.
Gallery
edit-
Near Mount Lewis – Australia -
Male (left). female (right)
.JPG)
References
edit- ^ BirdLife International (2017). "Orthonyx spaldingii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22704977A118670720. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22704977A118670720.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ Schodde R, Mason IJ (1999). The Directory of Australian Birds : Passerines. A Taxonomic and Zoogeographic Atlas of the Biodiversity of Birds in Australia and its Territories. Collingwood, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. pp. x 851 pp. ISBN 0-643-06456-7.
- BirdLife International. (2007). Species factsheet: Orthonyx spaldingii. Downloaded from [1] on 9 August 2007
- Higgins, P.J.; & Peter, J.M. (eds). (2003). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 6: Pardalotes to Shrike-thrushes. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553762-9
External links
edit- Image at ADW Archived 16 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
