Hi Tim,
Unfortunately you're well out of range for Rufous Bristlebird. It's a coastal
heath bird, with the nearest population Torquay, and then west to the Otways
and Coorongs in SA. They also tend to be sedentary bird i.e. remaining in one
area and prefering a singular habitat preference. This is one reason the
bristlebird family is under-threat; being unable to adapt to changes in the
coastal ecology (and cats).
I reckon there's two of three possibilies for your bird:
1. A female or immature Blackbird, which can look surprisingly Rufous
Bristlebird-like, especially the immature birds at this time of year. Pizzy
describes a young Blackbird as "plumage mottled rufous".
2. Less-likely a Pilotbird, which is found in the forests around Kinglake.
Similar size and shape. They are normally a very shy and elusive bird. Perhaps
the fires have forced behavioral changes, pushing it into your garden.
Interestingly (and you don't mention this) the call of the Pilotbird is
extremely similar to the Rufous Bristlebird, and they are in fact closely
related.
3. Bassian Thrush, perhaps an immature bird - the right size and basically
similar color and shape. Hard to confuse though.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
-----Original Message-----
From: on behalf of Tim Connell
Sent: Tue 10/03/2009 17:00
To:
Subject: Rufuos Bristle Bird - Kinglake?
Over the past 4 weeks we have had many large birds at our place in
Kinglake, Ravens, Choughs, Rosellas, Galahs, King Parrots and Magpies.
However with the incineration of almost every stick of understorey
vegetation in our town there has been a noticeable (and expected)
absence of smaller birds in the dawn and dusk calls.
I was a little bit shocked and pleased upset to see what I think was a
Rufous Bristle Bird at our house yesterday, pleased because if it was
it would bring my year list to 100 - sad because we had taken off all
the curtains to clean the place top to bottom and it flew into a freshly
cleaned window.
However...a very likely case of misidentification, and having no camera
on the day I was wondering, would a RBB be living in burnt out habitat
like Kinglake - formerly tall we forest? There are very few pockets of
unburnt bush, mainly along gullies and waterways. If it wasn't any
suggestions as to similar birds with similar markings of similar size
that have also the distinct "ruffled" belly feathers of a RBB?
Cheers,
Tim Connell (novice)
Kinglake
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