Indian Scops-Owl

Small, long-tailed bird with black moustache and rufous-brown upperparts, found only in the Murray-Mallee region of South Australia and Victoria, where it is the only expected grasswren. Found in mallee woodland and dunes with large spinifex clumps, where it scurries around on the ground and low branches. Upperparts rusty-brown, with a white throat and buff-colored underparts.

Brown hornbill with a white belly and a yellow-and-orange bill. The white outer tail feathers and wing patches are conspicuous in flight. Found in arid savanna. Usually solitary or in pairs; sometimes in small flocks. Call is a series of clucking notes that accelerates and becomes louder. Fairly similar to Bradfield’s Hornbill, but has white in the wings, much more white in the tail, and a yellow base to the bill.

Male is stunning, with a metallic blue back, a black mask extending down to the shoulder, and a burning flame-orange throat and breast. Female is plain brown and very difficult to distinguish from female Indian Blue Robin (which generally breeds at lower altitudes than Firethroat) and Siberian Blue Robin (which overlaps with Firethroat only on migration); look out for the female Firethroat’s relatively brighter white throat, darker underparts, and lack of scaling on the breast. The species is shy, keeping to the undergrowth, but will emerge into the open to sing; song is repetitive and pleasant, with imitations and deeper notes thrown in. Breeds in dense, low montane vegetation; winters in similar habitat in lower foothills.