Category: Birdwatching

The Wet Tropics crimson rosella (Platycercus elegans nigrescens) is commonly seen at Paluma delicately feeding on lawn seeds or flowers like the Albizia outside the Ivy Cottage.

P. e. nigrescens is the smallest of sub-species of the widely distributed crimson rosella. The sub-species was first described in 1988 by Edward Pierson Ramsay who noted its darker crimson plumage, black back and nape, and smaller size yet larger bill. It was also known as “northern crimson parrot” or “Campbell’s parakeet”, after Alexander James Campbell.

Wet Tropics crimson rosella is an appropriate common name based on its limited distribution.

In the breeding season, Wet Tropics crimson rosellas will only forage with their mate. Outside of the breeding season, crimson rosellas tend to congregate in pairs or small groups and feeding parties. The largest groups are usually composed of juveniles, who gather in flocks of up to 20 individuals, usually much fewer at Paluma. When they forage, they are conspicuous and chatter quietly.

Mutual preening is not exhibited by the playcercus genus, and the courtship display is simple; the male waves his tail sideways, and engages in some head bobbing, and the female reciprocates.

The female chooses the nest site. Like most parrots, they are cavity nesters, generally nesting high and in deep cavities in older large trees in forested areas. They generally have a clutch size of several eggs which are incubated for around 21 days by the female alone. The male feeds the female through this time and for some time after incubation concludes. Quickly covered in white down, chicks take around five weeks to fledge.

Platycercus are most proprietorial of their nesting sites. During the breeding season, it is common for females to fly to other nests and destroy the eggs and in fact, this is the most common cause for an egg failing to hatch.  This behaviour is thought to be a function of competition for suitable nesting hollows, since a nest will be abandoned if all the eggs in it are destroyed.

A pair of rosellas will tend to nest in the same area from year to year during their 20-year lifespan.

The name rosella is said to have come from the first encounters of Early European settlers with eastern rosellas at Rose Hill, New South Wales, now Parramatta, and so they called it the Rosehill parakeet, which became “Rosehiller”, and eventually “rosella”.

The species as it now stands has subsumed two former separate species, the yellow rosella and the Adelaide rosella. Molecular studies show P. e. nigrescens, one of the three red-coloured races, is genetically more distinct.

Compiled by Peter Cooke from a variety of sources, mostly Wikipedia.
Photos also by PC.

Pigeons are among the most broadly distributed and widely recognised bird groups. All pigeons belong to the family Columbidae, which has 42 genera and 316 species. Although the number of species of pigeon that can be found around Paluma is not particularly large (about 8 rainforest species in and around the village) we host some of the most striking and colourful species to be found in Australia. The white-headed pigeon (Columba leucomela) belongs to the former group, having a striking black and white plumage with just a dash of colour around the eyes and bill.

In Paluma it can be seen flying overhead in small groups, and foraging in the canopy of Bollygum (Neolitsea) and other local fruiting trees. It is found from Cooktown to Eden in NSW predominantly in rainforests and gallery forests along creeks and gullies. While not uncommon, it tends to feed quietly in the mid to upper canopy so it is not easily spotted along the village tracks.

Although it is not threatened if was previously a preferred target for hunters, which depressed populations along much of its range.

The White-headed Pigeon is the only native member of genus Columba in Australia. The only other member in Australia is the ubiquitous and frequently maligned Rock Dove or Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) which occurs worldwide in areas of human habitation.

Pigeons are monogamous with both parents helping to raise their young. There are almost exclusively seed eaters (granivores) or fruit eaters (frugivores). When feeding their young, many other vegetarian bird species switch to energy and protein rich insects to promote rapid nestling growth. Pigeons, however, feed their young on a highly nutritious “crop milk”, which is a secretion from the lining of the crop (a muscular pouch near the throat of many birds). This useful trait is analogous to lactation in mammals.

Crop milk (often called Pigeon milk) is produced only by pigeons, although flamingoes and penguins also feed their young from secretions from different parts of the gut.

The extinct Dodo and Solitaire (Genus Raphus) are also formally included in the pigeon family (Columbidae).

Australia Post published a series of 4 pigeon stamps in 2021. Three of these are to be found in Paluma, including the White-headed pigeon.

Text by Jamie Oliver, photos as indicated

One of the more spectacular birds in Paluma rainforests, the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera sylvia) is most commonly seen as a small bundle of blue and white with trailing streamers flying across the range road during the wet season between culverts 165-175.

There is something about extravagant elongate plumes that is attractive to humans. In New Guinea bird plumes are highly prized for personal adornment on headdresses. In Europe the passion for plumes nearly led to the decimation of several bird species. Here in Australia, it drives birdwatchers to make pilgrimages, cameras and obscenely long lenses in hand, to observe and photograph them. Our sole representative of this group of memorable birds does not disappoint those lucky enough to get a good view. According to ebird, the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher (PKF) has been seen 6 times around Paluma Village, although it is not clear if these records extend down the range or refer only to the village.

The Buff-breasted PKF like most other species in the genus builds its nest in termite mounds on the ground. They spend the dry season in New Guinea and migrate to NE Queensland at the onset of summer rains. Once they have arrived they spend some time establishing a territory and jointly excavating a fresh hole in an active termite mound of the species Microcerotermes serratus. A long-term study in the Iron Range National Park, indicated that birds return to the same area (and often the same mound) each year with the same mate. They lay 2-4 eggs and both partners share in feeding of the young. Occasionally another young male may help in feeding the young. This behaviour has been reported in Kookaburras, which are also Kingfishers. With the Buff-breasted PKF it is not known if these helpers are genetically related to the mating pair (older offspring) or if unrelated young males who have not managed to attract a mate and choose to help out in the hopes of bonding with one of the female hatchlings and mating in the subsequent year – avian cradle-snatching!

The genus Tanysiptera comes from the greek word tanusipteros meaning long-feathered. Wikipedia indicates the species name is from the latin word for forest (sylvia) although I prefer a more poetic derivation from the same word in ancient greek that refers to a nymph of the forest that served the goddess Artemis.

Paradise kingfishers are found almost exclusively in Papua New Guinea and offshore islands with the exception of two species one from the Moluccas and the other from NE Queensland. All of the nine species are primarily forest dwellers and have long tail streamers. Most are brightly coloured, and all are very territorial. They feed on insects and other small invertebrates on the forest floor.

Last week I stopped near culvert 175 to talk to a couple of birdwatchers who had come up from Townville after one of their mates reported seeing one. They were not successful but they pointed out a quite large and conspicuous termite mount on the uphill site that was excavated, so there is still a good chance to see these wonderful birds if you keep a close lookout on the range road above culvert 165.

Text by Jamie Oliver, Photos as indicated

Pittas are a group of some 40 species distributed around SE Asia (with one species in Africa). They rank amongst the most gorgeous yet elusive inhabitants of tropical rainforest and are deservedly referred to as ‘jewels of the forest’. The banner for this post gives you a sample of the range and richness of their plumage. Their brilliant colours, and secretive nature has made them targets of interest, and occasionally obsession amongst birdwatchers. A prime example of the latter is documented by Chris Goodie, who has published an entire book (The Jewel Hunter) on his efforts and adventures tracking down every species of Pitta in one year. It’s a delightful and informative read.

Our local species of Pitta is the Noisy Pitta (Pitta versicolor). It is one of 3 species that are resident in Australia. While its plumage is more subdued that some of the species found elsewhere and overseas, its rich colours, with flashes of bright blue when flying make it one of my favourites.

Luckily here in Paluma the Noisy Pitta has become quite accustomed to human activity, and while it does not come to bird feeders I have had Pittas following me around my garden picking up earth worms and other invertebrates exposed by my digging. Glimpses of Pittas flying across the upper rainforested sections of the range road are quite common. A casual day visitor to Paluma is not guaranteed a glimpse of this bird, but its call is usually heard around the village and once learned it is easy to recognize. It’s distinct and regular song is part of its strongly territorial behaviour.

Like most other Pittas, the Noisy Pitta is monogamous and males share the jobs of nest-building and feeding of chicks. Breeding occurs from October to April. The nest is usually a dome-shaped mound of twigs on or near the ground with an opening on the side accessed by a ramp of twigs often paved with mud or debris. While fairly substantial in size they are almost indistinguishable from the pile of twigs that can often be found in the forest leaning up against a tree or sapling.

Pittas spend most of their time foraging on the forest floor for earthworms, snails and other invertebrates. Their feeding behaviour includes two traits that are, in turn fascinating and endearing. Pittas are among the few groups of birds to use tools (in a rather generic sense). Their fondness for snails, and the difficulty in accessing the animal once it has retracted into its shell has led to Pittas taking shells to a specific rock or hard tree root and then repeatedly smashing the shell against this “anvil” until all of the flesh has been exposed.

Persistent small piles of shells have been reported next to rock anvils by keen observers in other areas, but I am not sure how common this is around Paluma – I have never seen this, suitable snails may not be that common here, while earthworms are abundant.

Speaking of annelids (the group of invertebrates that includes most worms), one endearing trait of The Noisy Pitta – at least to those of us that spend time tramping along wet forest tracks- is that they are partial to eating a close relative of the earthworm – leeches. Forget about the jewelled plumage, any animal that contributes to the control of leach populations has my undying affection! This dietary interest was discovered here in Paluma and published by one of our famous ex-residents, Cliff Frith who observed a parent with six leeches in its beak returning to feed its nestlings.

While some Pitta species in SE Asia are considered endangered or threatened the status of the Noisy Pitta is of least concern, with a widespread distribution in Qld and occasionally New Guinea. Nevertheless, rainforest clearing and feral cats are key threatening processes which could change its status.

Text and photos (unless specified) by Jamie Oliver

The Spotted Catbird (Ailuroedus maculosus) is an unmistakable part of the soundscape of upland rainforests in northeast Queensland. Its eponymous call is indeed very catlike, but despite its aural ubiquity it is rather secretive and is frustratingly difficult to spot in the foliage of the middle forest canopy.

It took me many visits up to Paluma after I first arrived in Australia to finally spot the bird that I had heard repeatedly on every visit. Now that I have a house in Paluma with a bird feeder, I get great views every morning.

This main call is used by a mating pair to establish and defend a territory.

Pairs and groups also communicate with each other using a softer single-note call that is often heard but seldom associated with the catbird to non-birders.

The Spotted Catbird is one of 10 species of catbirds (genus Ailuroedus), which can be found only in New Guinea and Australia. Two species are endemic to Australia (Spotted and Green Catbirds), while a third occurs in the Cape York rainforest and New Guinea.

Like our previous bird of the month, catbirds belong to the bowerbird family (Ptilonorhynchidae). However, unlike all other bowerbirds, they are much less flamboyant in both their plumage and behaviour. Catbirds have a relatively subdued colouration, usually a mix of green on the back and cream to tan mottling on the undersides, with males and females looking alike. They also eschew the hectic and showy romantic antics of other male bowerbirds that build elaborate bowers or stages and compete fiercely to attract multiple mates. Instead, catbird males are monogamous (stick with a single partner) and share parental duties at the nest.

The Spotted Catbird eat mostly fruit supplemented by insects – and the occasional nestling or eggs of smaller birds. Like other bowerbirds, they are very long-lived, with one tagged individual recorded over 19 years! They live mainly above 900m and are relatively sedentary, travelling no more than 2km (typically 70m) to forage for food. Pairs of birds defend a territory of about 1.6ha during the breeding season (August to March).

Text and Photos by Jamie Oliver

Earlier this month, the forest around Paluma began to ring out with the sounds of a bird that is better known for its distinctive courting area than its plumage or its song. The Tooth-billed Bowerbird or Stagemaker (Scenopoeetes dentirostris) has a noisy and boisterous call although it’s not as distinctive to a casual observer as the circular patch of leaves that it carefully lays out on a patch of forest floor to attract females. This “Stage” is familiar to most people who walk the village trails. One of us (PC) was able to record a particularly vocal individual near Mt Spec Rd.

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The Stagemaker is endemic to highland rainforests of the wet tropics, and is the only member of the genus Scenopoeetes. While it is common within its range its restricted distribution and dependence on highland rainforest means it is considered near threatened on the IUCN list of Threatened Species.

During the winter months, it feeds mainly on leaves and stems. This is an unusual diet for an arboreal bird. Only 3% of bird species eat leaves, which are not very energy-dense, and require large volumes of material to satisfy their energy needs. The toothed profile of the bill (from which its common name is derived) is believed to be an adaptation for cutting leaves and stems (for both food and stage displays. During the mating and breeding season when more energy is needed for display, defending stages, egg production and feeding of young, Stagemakers switch to a diet of fruit and flowers, supplemented with insects.

Stage production, display and nesting commence with the onset of fleshy fruit production (August to September) and displays stop with the onset of the wet. The stage, or court is first cleared of leaf litter by the male and then decorated with leaves from a few species of tree, which are all carefully turned so the paler underside is facing upward. The stage is carefully maintained by the male to ensure the leaves are properly orientated. Stages are clustered in an area with stages separated by 50-68m. Males are long-lived and return to clear the same stage every year (over 20 years in one case). Adjacent males compete for suitable leaves and will steal from the stages of other birds.

Each court has an adjacent display tree the male uses to announce its presence. Its song can include mimicry of over 40 bird species, frogs, and even fruitbats! The recording above appears to be the native call rather than a mimic. Once a female has been attracted to the stage, the male descends from its perch to display and entice the female into mating. The female builds a nest in a tree nearby and appears to rear the young unassisted.

Stagemakers are currently considered to be Bowerbirds, but the lack of a true bower constructed from twigs, and the lack of different plumage between males and females led some taxonomists to initially place these birds with the closely related catbirds (Genus Ailuroedus) within the overarching Family (Ptilonorhynchidae). More recent genetic research suggests that the Stagemaker is a distant relative of the maypole building bowerbirds (e.g. our local Golden Bowerbird), but it has traits that suggest it might have evolved separately from both groups, or a primitive form of catbird.

Much of what we know about the ecology and biology of the Tooth-billed Bowerbird has come from research conducted around Paluma. The preponderance of these studies were carried out by Cliff and Dawn Frith, who lived in Paluma and have published both scientific as well as gorgeously illustrated popular books on Bowlerbirds, Birds of Paradise and general rainforest natural history.

Text by Jamie Oliver ; Photos as indicated

Many of the rainforest trees at Paluma are presently providing a bounty of fruit for many species, especially pigeons. As is their lifestyle, large numbers of Topknot Pigeons (Lopholaimus antarcticus) are here taking advantage of that seasonal abundance. They are big pigeons and fly particularly high above the canopy, sometimes singly, or in pairs or flocks. 

Finding them parked up somewhere easy to photograph is a rare treat and I managed to grab two shots of one sitting high in a flowering Buckinghamia behind our deck. Despite the 500mm lens the bird occupied only a small part of the frame but when cropped I was delighted to see it carrying a twig in its beak. Clearly it was going about nest building.

Yesterday a female was sitting high in a quandong behind our back yard when it was joined by a male who pressed close and then began to bob its head deeply to its chest and bounced upright again. This went for a while until they both flew off together.

If courtship and nesting are successful they’ll produce just one nestling after about three weeks which will be fully fledged around a month later. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the young, using regurgitated “pigeon milk” from their crops in the earliest stages. It takes both parents to keep up the supply of pigeon milk, explaining why only one egg is laid.

Text and Photos by Peter Cooke

Topknot Pigeons are most often seen in flight, usually in flocks high over the forest, says the Birds of Australia guide by Campbell et al.

And that’s how we mostly see them during their nomadic and sporadic visits to Paluma when then the time is right to find their favourite food plants fruiting. So it was a big surprise for Tracy Cooper on her way to work at the dam last week when she came across this big pigeon perched on a fallen branch beside Mt Spec Road.

She stopped and walked back, hoping to get a picture but expecting the bird to fly off. It showed no disturbed reaction to her approach to about a metre away and she was able to get these great pics. It showed no visible sign of injury or illness, other than being close to the ground and being undisturbed by people approaching.

Tracy’s colleague saw it separately on the way to work and it was still there on the same branch in the afternoon when he dropped some fruit of Ficus destruens beside the perch. The next morning it was gone.

Topknots (Lopholaimus antarcticus) may be seen singly or in pairs or flocks high above the canopy when they aren’t feeding or nesting in the canopy.

The Atherton Tableland, Paluma and the Lamington Plateau are good places to see them say Campbell et al but single rare migrants have been seen even in Tasmania.

Topknot Pigeons have lost much of their rainforest habitat to clearing, but have compensated by feeding on the introduced tree species Camphor Laurel and they may spread this unwelcome weed into agricultural areas.

Although the Paluma bird looked perky enough, being out of the canopy and not being frightened away by people does suggest it wasn’t well.

Australia is worried about new variants of avian flu arriving here from wild birds coming in from overseas. Birds have been coping with, and developing some resistance to, bird flu for thousands of years but the virus may mutate from common strains in domestic or commercial flocks when passing back to wild bird populations. A new variant may be catastrophic for wild bird populations.

People are being asked to report sick birds. “The following are indications that a bird may be sick or injured: The bird is quiet, dull, the eyes may be closed, and it has fluffed feathers (the bird looks “puffed up”). It may have an obvious wound, breathing problems, a drooping wing, or show lameness or an inability to stand. It does not fly away when approached.”

Even though this bird looked pretty perky Tracy and colleague were wise not to handle it.

Photos by Tracy Cooper. Text by Peter Cooke

Some additional comments from Jamie:

The topknot pigeon is endemic to Australia and is fairly common in rainforests and wet sclerophyll forest along the entire eastern coastal ranges. In flight their size and distictive white tail band help in identification, while when perched the fluffy brown swept-back crown is diagnostic, bringing to mind aging rockstars or a past US president whose comb-over got blown back in the wind.

While Paluma is best known for its montane rainforest, the village itself has quite substantial open cleared areas that support plants and animals that are more characteristic of open forest and heathlands. One of the birds that falls into this category is the White-cheeked honeyeater (Phylidonyris niger). It is one of the most common birds around the village, feeding on Calistemons, Banksias and Grevillias, but is mostly absent along the forested village tracks. This delightfully plumed, energetic, gregarious and vocal small bird always raises my spirits as it flits among the small trees and shrubs and trees in the front yards along the main road. As a scientist, I’ve been trained not to anthropomorphise, but I always get the feeling that they are cheeky and irrepressibly cheerful animals.

The White-cheeked honeyeater is an Australian endemic with two distinct populations (subspecies) in eastern and southwest Australia. Its plumage is unmistakable with its black head and eye patch, brilliant white cheek and forehead and yellow wing patch. Its principal habitat is open forests and wet heathlands where it feeds mainly on nectar-producing native plants with insects acting as a supplemental source of protein and other essential nutrients. In Paluma it can be a regular visitor to bird feeders that offer a bit of liquid from ripe fruit or commercial nectar substitutes. Despite its relatively small size, it can be quite fearless in chasing off other large honeyeaters, especially when part of a feeding group. I have had over 10 at my feeder on occasion.

Breeding can occur throughout the year with a peak in winter. Cup-shaped nests are built by the female in lower tree branches and shrubs as well as in grasses.

The White-cheeked honeyeater was first named in 1811 and placed in the genus that includes tree creepers. This miscategorization was remedied in 1830 by Renee Lesson who coined the genus name Phylidoneris from its (supposed) similarity to Friarbirds (genus Philemon) and Sunbirds (genus Cinnyris)

Text and Photos by Jamie Oliver