Chowchilla

The chowchilla (Orthonyx spaldingii) is a passerine bird in the family Orthonychidae. It is endemic to Australia.

This article is about the bird. For the city, see Chowchilla, California. For other uses, see Chowchilla (disambiguation).

Chowchilla
Pair, Paluma, Queensland
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Orthonychidae
Genus: Orthonyx
Species:
O. spaldingii
Binomial name
Orthonyx spaldingii
Ramsay, 1868

Taxonomy

In their 1999 study, Schodde and Mason recognise two adjoining subspecies, O. s. spaldingii and O. s. melasmenus with a zone of intergradation.[2]

Description

Unmistakable 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

The chowchilla is restricted to upland and lowland tropical rainforests of north-eastern Queensland.

Behaviour

Diet

Mainly invertebrates, but also small vertebrates.

Voice

Continuous chattering, singing and other complex vocalisations.

Breeding

Nests 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.

  • Near Mount Lewis – Australia
    Near Mount Lewis – Australia
  • Male (left). female (rught)
    Male (left). female (rught)

References
  1. 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.
  2. 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 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
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