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 LC    Chowchilla* Id (Atlas): 435
    Orthonyx spaldingii Endemic

Description (10)
Image of Chowchilla
 

Other Names (World)
Chowchilla, Northern Chowchilla, Auctioneer Bird, Northern Logrunner, Logrunner, Black-headed Logrunner, Spalding's Logrunner, Spalding's Spinetail, Scrub-chatterer

Family
Orthonychidae (Logrunners)

Size
26 - 30 cm

First Described (Guide)
Ramsay, 1868

Derivation
Or'-thon-yx - Gk, orthos, straight; Gk, onyx, claw: spaldingii - Edward Spalding, collector and taxidermist, Queensland

Abundance (Guide)
C

Common. Sedentary.

Habitat
Dense undergrowth in tropical rainforest.

Range (Guide)
Australia (B).

Image of Range of Chowchilla
 
North-eastern Queensland from near Cooktown to Mount Spec, near Townsville.
 
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).

Status LC
Possibly endangered.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Usually in pairs or small groups of three to eight, occasionally in larger groups.

Food
Invertebrates, mainly insects and also small frogs and skinks.

Voice
A deafening 'chow, chowchilla', with variations. Strange, raucous notes. Mimics. Chanting choruses at dawn drown out other species.



Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (39)...)

 
Chowchilla (Orthonyx) [XC526164]
     by Marc Anderson from Mt Lewis, Atherton Tableland, Qld, Australia (call, song)

 
Chowchilla (Orthonyx) [XC526128]
     by Marc Anderson from Wooroonooran, Tablelands Regional, Queensland, Australia (song)

Breeding Season (Guide)
April - October.

J F M A M J J A S O N D
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   


Nest
Dome-shaped, with a side-entrance, composed of sticks, twigs, dead leaves and moss, placed on the ground, in a vine tangle or on a stump up to 3 m above the ground.

Eggs (Guide)
1; white; oval; about 37 x 26 mm. Incubation: by female.

Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in abot 22 - 27 days. Fed by female only.

Subspecies
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:

  • spaldingii Ramsay, 1868   -  Coastal north-eastern Qld, from Atherton Tableland and Black Mt Ranges, south to Paluma Range.
  • melasmenus Schodde & Mason, IJ, 1999   -  North-eastern Qld from Big Tableland south to Thornton Peak.



References
See References.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9


Files:
JPG files for Chowchilla (Orthonyx spaldingii) - 10 filesMP3 files for Chowchilla (Orthonyx spaldingii) - 1 files


More Information

BirdLife International

For more information about the Chowchilla see... Show Articles BirdLife International Species Factsheet.


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