Bowerbird & Australasian Babbler

Featured bowerbird and catbird images belong to the Ptilonorhynchidae family that I photographed in the tropical rainforest, woodland, and shrubland habitat. The Australasian babbler, from the Pomatostomidae family, habitat includes in woodland and shrubland Habitat. See Taxonomy Note at end of this page.

Bowerbirds, Catbirds and Australasian Babblers

Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata), perched at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens in Alice Springs

Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis orientalis) on the ground at Bowen in Queensland

Spotted Catbird (Ailuroedus maculosus) in the rainforest near Lake Eacham, Atherton Tablelands

Tooth-billed Bowerbird (Scenopoeetes dentirostris), at Peterson Creek in Yungaburra, Atherton Tablelands, QLD

Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) in Booderee National Park at Jervis Bay Territory

Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis rubeculus) on the ground at Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve

Bowerbirds, Catbirds and Australasian Babblers Notes

Images of showcased species are ‘Red List 2019’ assessed as ‘Least Concern’. The Spotted Catbird is an Australasian endemic; the other three species are Australian endemics. I photographed the featured species in Australia’s rainforests. The Satin Bowerbird exhibits plumage dimorphism.

Bowerbirds, Catbirds and Australasian Babblers Behaviour

Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata), Male arranging ornaments in front of its avenue bower

Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata), at bower entrance at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens in Alice Springs

Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata), squawking at bower entrance at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens in Alice Springs

Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata), squawking at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens in Alice Springs

Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata), preening at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens in Alice Springs

Spotted Catbird (Ailuroedus maculosus) feeding in the rainforest near Lake Eacham

Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis orientalis) feeding on scraps at Bowen in Queensland

Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis rubeculus) feeding on at Alice Springs

Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis rubeculus) feeding on the ground at Alice Springs

Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis rubeculus) perched at Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historic Reserve

Bowerbirds, Catbirds and Australasian Babblers Behaviour Notes

The gallery features a short photo essay on Australian endemic western bowerbirds at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens in Alice Springs. A male Western Bowerbird busy arranging ornaments at the front of its avenue bower built below the branches of a low shrub. There were at least three birds around the bower area. Other images show birds perched in trees squawking, preening, and resting. The bower decoration was mainly white with a few green natural and made-made objects. Other featured birds are the Great Bowerbird and Spotted Catbird feeding in Queensland. And a short sequence showing the Grey-crowned Babbler [Rufous-breasted] hunting in trees and on the ground in Alice Springs.

Bowerbirds, Catbirds and Australasian Babblers Taxonomy

Bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchidae) and Australasian Babblers (Pomatostomidae) are basal oscines placed in parvorder Climacterida and Orthonychida, respectively. Both parvorders are part of suborder Passeri, J Boyd’s Taxonomy in Flux refers, and depicted in the simplified family tree:
(a) Climacterida comprises Ptilonorhynchidae which splits into two subfamilies: Bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchinae) and Catbirds (Ailuroedinae).
(b) Orthonychida contains Australasian Babblers (Pomatostomidae).

Some authorities place Ptilonorhynchidae in Menuroidea and Pomatostomidae in Corvoidea, both under Corvida.