20

Spotted Quail-thrush

(Cinclosoma punctatum)
Alternative names: "Spotted Groundbird", "Ground-thrush", "Ground-dove", "Babbling-thrush"
Size: 26-28 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

There are three races of Spotted Quail-thrushes in Australia, which are found in the south-eastern and eastern part of the continent and Tasmania. The range of nominate race "punctatum" extends from the south-eastern tip of SA, through most of VIC, along the coastal fringe and the Great Dividing Range of NSW into southern QLD. North of about Maryborough, QLD, they are not found on the coastline any more, but only in the hill range, up to about the tropic of Capricorn (Rockhampton, QLD). Race "anachoreta" is found only in a small area around Adelaide, SA, and race "dovei" in the eastern half of Tasmania.

Spotted Quail-thrushes are usually found in rocky, mountainous terrain with low bushes and tufty grass. They spend most of their time on the ground.

Sightings

We first saw a pair of Spotted Quail-thrushes near Wollomombi Falls, east of Armidale, NSW, in early 2005. While no photo was obtained at the time, the identification is quite certain because of the characteristic plumage, behaviour and size of the birds.

The second sighting was in Mount Kaputar National Park, in April of 2006. Spotted there again in subsequent years, most recently in November 2011 near Mt. Coryah. We flushed a male out of the dense shrubbery and sounds on the ground indicated that there was at least one more bird around at the time.

Spotted again at Coolah Tops National Park, 30 km east of Coolah, NSW, in May 2009.

Photos