Australian Logrunner
Orthonyx temminckii
Distinctive, ground-dwelling rainforest bird with reddish-brown back, gray face, black wings with bold white wingbars, strong legs and feet. Females have black-bordered orange throat, males white, both with gray sides and white underparts. Difficult to observe, although in some areas habituated to hikers. Forages in rainforest leaf litter, usually in pairs or small groups. Squeaking calls, given at dawn and dusk, recall sounds of Guinea Pigs.
Identification
Logrunners as a group are characterised by their distinctive tail feathers where the rachis (or central shafts) of the tail feathers protrude and are stiffened. The broad tail of the bird is less than four inches (10 cm) in length and the strong protruding rachis at the ends of the tail feathers are almost void of the usual barbs, giving the feather the appearance of spines. This appearance gives rise to some of the common names for the bird such as spine-tail or spine-tailed logrunner.<p>There appears to be some debate about the number of tail feathers possessed by the Australian logrunner. For example, some references state that the logrunner only has 10 tail feathers whilst other references describe the bird as having 12 tail feathers. Most birds are described as having 12 tail feathers but there are notable exceptions to this.<p>The logrunner is not unique in having atypical tail feather structures. Other birds, such as the greater melampitta (Melampitta gigantea), also have spiny and stiffened tail feathers, but not to the same extent as the logrunner. Birds such as creepers, woodpeckers, swifts and penguins are also known to use their modified tail feathers as braces and supports.<p>The logrunner's head and back are a reddish-brown colour; the wings are mainly black; and the tail is dark brown. The wing-coverts are tipped with grey and the eyebrow and ear-coverts grey. The throat, breast and abdomen feathers are white. In the female, the throat is an orange-rufous colour. The male is also larger than the female.
Taxonomy
The Australian logrunner is a Passeriform in the family Orthonychidae. It is one of only three species within the Orthonyx genus; the other two are the chowcilla (Orthonyx spaldingii) from northern Queensland and the New Guinean logrunner (Orthonyx novaeguineae) from Papua New Guinea.
- Scientific name
- Orthonyx temminckii
- Authority
- Ranzani, 1822
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Orthonychidae
- Genus
- Orthonyx
Range and habitat
The Australian logrunner is found in South Eastern Australia from the Illawarra district in NSW to the Bunya Mountains in Queensland. Its preferred habitat is characterised by the leafy floor of rainforests, rich with scattered logs, forest debris, ferns, vines and saplings.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The most characteristic behaviour of the logrunner is its foraging technique that involves the bird propping against its spiny tail and then scrapping or throwing leaf debris aside with its feet. Once the larger debris is removed, logrunners then use their tail as a brace and scratch the exposed soil looking for food. This scratching leaves 'soup-plate' depressions in the debris that are about 150 mm in diameter.<p>The sideways sweeping action of the legs whilst foraging is unique to logrunners and is possible due to the distinctive structure of the logrunner's pelvis and hind legs. The pelvis is short and broad and the femur is stout with strongly developed projections that support the attachment of the strong muscles needed to support its foraging technique.<p>Logrunners are described as noisy birds with performances of loud songs and calls, especially in the mornings. These songs and calls are believed to have either a territorial or sexual function.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Eastern Clapper Lark
Corypha fasciolata
A medium-sized, stocky lark with a small bill and barred and scalloped feathers on the head and upperparts, giving it a scaly appearance. The plumage varies geographically, with South African birds being brighter and rustier, and northern birds being duller and grayer. Pairs forage for insects in grassland, often in rocky areas. During the September to February breeding season, the male perches on small rock or low bush, before rising up 3-5 meters in the air with a steady wing-clapping display, then giving a single whistled note “phoooee” and parachuting down to the ground on raised wings. The similar Cape Clapper Lark is smaller than Eastern Clapper Lark, with less rufous coloration on the body and wings, and an accelerating wing-clapping display.
Caatinga Black-Tyrant
Knipolegus franciscanus
Black flycatcher with a short crest. Males are glossy black with a white band across the flight feathers and red eyes. Females are brown above with a rusty rump and white below with dusky streaks. Found in dry forests in rocky areas, where males are usually seen perching conspicuously.
Dusky-blue Flycatcher
Bradornis comitatus
A dapper slate-colored flycatcher with a distinctly pale throat and eyebrow, often found at the forest’s edge along roads, in clearings, and even in farmlands. A widespread but sometimes overlooked resident, sometimes occurring up into the mountains, that builds its own nest inside old abandoned weaver nests. Can be confused with other African flycatchers, but note Dusky-blue Flycatcher’s upright posture, habitat, and pale throat and lores. Song is variable, consisting of clear whistles and other calls given in groups of 2-10 notes. Calls include high-pitched “sip sip” and buzzy “zrt” notes.
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