Scrub-bird
Encyclopedia
Scrub-birds are shy, secretive, ground-dwelling birds of the family Atrichornithidae. There are just two species
. The Rufous scrub-bird is rare and very restricted in its range, and the Noisy scrub-bird is so rare that until 1961 it was thought to be extinct. Both are native to Australia
.
The scrub-bird family is ancient and is understood to be most closely related to the lyrebird
s, and probably also the bowerbird
s and treecreepers
. All four families originated with the great corvid radiation of the Australia-New Guinea region.
The population of the Noisy Scrub-bird was estimated at 40 to 45 birds in 1962. Conservation efforts succeeded in increasing the population to around 400 birds by the mid-1980s, and they have subsequently been reintroduced to several sites, but remain endangered. As of 2002, the population had recovered to around 1,200 birds.
in temperate rain forest
s near the Queensland
-New South Wales
border, the Noisy Scrub-bird
in heaths and scrubby gullies in coastal Western Australia
—and are adept at scuttling mouse-like under cover to avoid notice. They run fast, but their flight is feeble.
The males' calls, however, are powerful: ringing and metallic, with a ventriloquial quality, so loud as to be heard from a long distance in heavy scrub and almost painful at close range. Females build a domed nest close to the ground and take sole responsibility for raising the young.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
. The Rufous scrub-bird is rare and very restricted in its range, and the Noisy scrub-bird is so rare that until 1961 it was thought to be extinct. Both are native to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The scrub-bird family is ancient and is understood to be most closely related to the lyrebird
Lyrebird
A Lyrebird is either of two species of ground-dwelling Australian birds, that form the genus, Menura, and the family Menuridae. They are most notable for their superb ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment. Lyrebirds have unique plumes of neutral coloured...
s, and probably also the bowerbird
Bowerbird
Bowerbirds make up the bird family Ptilonorhynchidae. The family has 20 species in eight genera. These are medium-sized passerines, ranging from the Golden Bowerbird to the Great Bowerbird...
s and treecreepers
Australasian treecreeper
There are 7 species of Australasian treecreeper in the passerine bird family Climacteridae. They are medium-small, mostly brown birds with patterning on their underparts, and all are endemic to Australia-New Guinea. They resemble, but are not closely related to, the Holarctic treecreepers...
. All four families originated with the great corvid radiation of the Australia-New Guinea region.
The population of the Noisy Scrub-bird was estimated at 40 to 45 birds in 1962. Conservation efforts succeeded in increasing the population to around 400 birds by the mid-1980s, and they have subsequently been reintroduced to several sites, but remain endangered. As of 2002, the population had recovered to around 1,200 birds.
Description
Birds of both species are about the same size as a Common Starling (roughly 20 cm long) and cryptically coloured in drab browns and blacks. They occupy dense undergrowth—the Rufous Scrub-birdRufous Scrub-bird
The Rufous Scrub-bird is a bird species in the family Atrichornithidae. It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests...
in temperate rain forest
Temperate rain forest
Temperate rainforests are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive high rainfall.-Definition:For temperate rain forests of North America, Alaback's definition is widely recognized:-Global distribution:...
s near the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
-New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
border, the Noisy Scrub-bird
Noisy Scrub-bird
The Noisy Scrub-bird is a species of bird in the Atrichornithidae family. It is endemic to Australia.-Distribution and habitat:...
in heaths and scrubby gullies in coastal Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
—and are adept at scuttling mouse-like under cover to avoid notice. They run fast, but their flight is feeble.
The males' calls, however, are powerful: ringing and metallic, with a ventriloquial quality, so loud as to be heard from a long distance in heavy scrub and almost painful at close range. Females build a domed nest close to the ground and take sole responsibility for raising the young.
Species of Atrichornithidae
- Rufous Scrub-birdRufous Scrub-birdThe Rufous Scrub-bird is a bird species in the family Atrichornithidae. It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests...
, Atrichornis rufescens - Noisy Scrub-birdNoisy Scrub-birdThe Noisy Scrub-bird is a species of bird in the Atrichornithidae family. It is endemic to Australia.-Distribution and habitat:...
, Atrichornis clamosus