Brown Gerygone
Gerygone mouki
Small plain bird with thin bill. Upperparts brown, underparts whitish, with gray face, red eye, and distinctive patch of white in undertail. Juveniles lack red eye and have yellow gape (base of bill). Inhabits rainforest, wet forest, and surrounding habitats of eastern Australia. Song a rasping "which-is-it," very different from tinkling notes of Mangrove Gerygone.
Identification
The brown gerygone (Gerygone mouki), previously known as the brown warbler, is a small passerine bird native to eastern coastal Australia. The upper parts are olive-brown (or olive-grey for the nominate subspecies native to far-north Queensland), while its face and underparts are a much paler grey, cream, or washed-out brown. The tail feathers are dark and may be white-tipped. It is approximately 10 cm in length. The brown gerygone has a relatively large range. Although total population trends have not been quantified, it is considered of "least concern" by the IUCN. It may be sighted in coastal rainforest, singly or in small groups of two to four. It feeds on insects. The brown gerygone call is a soft what-is-it. It is not closely related to either true Old World Warblers or the New World Warblers, but belongs rather to the Corvida parvorder comprising many tropical and Australian passerines, as well as crows. The brown gerygone is similar to both the large-billed (G. magnirostris) and mangrove (G. levigaster) gerygones. It differs from the former by having a distinctive white eyebrow and a grey-tinged face. The mangrove gerygone, while having a white eyebrow, lacks the grey face, has more white on the flanks and has a redder eye.
Taxonomy
Genus: Gerygone; Family: Acanthizidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Gerygone mouki
- Authority
- Mathews, 1912
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Acanthizidae
- Genus
- Gerygone
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: rising.
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Halmahera Boobook
Ninox hypogramma
A brown owl with a rounded head, yellow eyes, and rufescent barred underparts. Inhabits forest in the lowlands and lower foothills, where it usually occurs in territorial pairs. Confined to the North Moluccas, where it overlaps with migrant Northern Boobook and Barking Owl, but can be separated from those species by its barred underparts and very different voice. Song is a gruff, abrupt, two-note frog-like “woo-wooo” with a slightly longer second note.
Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
Medium-sized songbird with a smooth gray body, black cap, and rusty-red undertail coverts. Sexes alike. Occurs in shrubby habitats, especially thickets or second-growth at the edge of forest, often near water. Usually quite skulking, but sometimes pops up conspicuously, especially when singing. Occasionally visits feeders, especially for suet. Listen for complex, jumbled song, which often includes mimicry of other species.
White-bellied Whistler
Pachycephala leucogastra
A chunky, thick-billed sparrow-sized songbird. Male is uniform gray above with a black head and a conspicuous white throat patch bordered below by a thick black chest band. Underparts are dull whitish. Female lacks black on head. Juvenile resembles a browner female, but is boldly streaked below. Singles and pairs can be found in upper levels of savanna woodlands, mangroves, and plantations. Differs from Black-headed Whistler in having a clear-cut white throat. Song is a slurred “soooweet” or “weet-weet-weet…” ending with either a whipping note, or a short jumble of strident notes.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.