Rusty-throated Parrotbill

Small, virtually tailless warbler of montane forest. The facial pattern is distinct, with a rufous-brown cap and eye-stripe and a contrasting white eyebrow and throat. Found in thick areas of montane humid forest, especially tangled undergrowth and vines. Sometimes joins mixed-species flocks. The song is a quiet series of up-and-down twitters. Chapin’s Crombec is very similar, but White-browed is easily separated by its broad white eyebrow.

A large-bodied, small-headed, black gamebird perfectly lined with rows of hundreds of bluish-white spots. It has a ridiculous-looking plumed “toupee” above the naked face, which features an ivory-colored bill and a blood-red eye. The facial skin color varies geographically, and can be mostly blue-gray with small patches of red and white, or predominantly blue-gray with a large white patch on the back of the neck. A broad band around the base of the neck is unspotted black. It prefers forest and thickets, where it forages on the ground for berries, seeds, and other plant matter. The similar Helmeted Guineafowl differs by its lack of feathered crest and its having a bone-like casque on top of the head instead. The alarm call is a series of rattling, agitated notes that speed up and slow down; similar to the call of Helmeted Guineafowl, but with a tinnier quality.

A large brown bird with very long tail; the male’s is said to be lyre-shaped. These curved outer tail feathers are absent in juveniles and females, which can be mistaken for Superb Lyrebird, but location and underpart coloration (rusty tones in Albert’s) help in ID. Found in rainforests, where it forages in leaf litter for food. Usually heard before it is seen, it has a very powerful song and is known for mimicking other species. Note range, as this species is found only in a small region of Queensland and far northeast New South Wales.