"As I stood awaiting the cart's arrival, some birds drew my attention,
as I perceived I had attracted theirs. They descended to the lowest
branches of the tree in whose shade I stood, and seemed to regard my
horse with curiosity. On my imitating their chirp one fluttered down,
and attempted to alight on my horse's ears. On my whistling to them,
one whistled some beautifully varied notes, as soft as those of an
octave flute, although their common chirp was harsh and dissonant. The
male and female seemed to have very different plumage, especially
about the head; that on the one having the varying tint of the Rifle
bird, the head of the other more resembling in colour, that of the
DACELO GIGANTEUS. They were about the size of a thrush, and seemed the
sole residents of that particular spot, and I had not seen them
elsewhere. "
Thomas Mitchell 1844, somewhere in inland NSW near Balonne River
ie a pair of birds, the male dark and iridescent like a Rifle Bird
(only about the head?) and the female having a head pattern like a
Kookaburra. About the size of a European Thrush.
Mitchell (as in Major Mitchell's Cockatoo) is usually very good on
birds, but I can't think what these are?
Any ideas
--
John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net
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