Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush
Cinclosoma castaneothorax
Heavily patterned terrestrial bird of western Queensland and northwestern New South Wales. Both sexes have pale eyebrow, gray-brown back, speckled undertail, and black-and-white markings on wing. Female has buff chin, white belly, and pale gray chest, male white moustache, black throat patch, rich red-brown chest fading into the flanks, and black belt above white belly. Usually seen walking along stony rises in very open woodland and shrubland. Note that Cinnamon Quail-thrush has a paler eyebrow and male’s chest has white center. Calls include a long, high-pitched whistled "seeeep."
Taxonomy
Cinclosoma is best described as two clusters of taxa. The first most closely related cluster consisting of C. cinnamomeum, C. alisteri, C. castaneothorax and C. marginatum. The second cluster which is less related consists of C. punctatum, C. ajax and C. castanotum. The first cluster has developed due to allopatric speciation and sub-speciation within Australia's deserts. The second cluster has occurred due to parapatry between semi-arid and wet country. The territories of many subspecies overlap both temporally and spatially, yet the parapatric borders between C. cinnamomeum and C. castaneothorax coincide with sharp environmental changes removing competition between the two species.It is believed that all Cinclosoma taxa share a common ancestor which lived in Australia's warm wet forests. Its descendants spread across Australia's deserts through a leapfrog distribution pattern of evolution. This pattern of distribution is believed to be the reason for all semi-arid Cinclosoma taxa sharing camouflaged plumage.
- Scientific name
- Cinclosoma castaneothorax
- Authority
- Gould, 1849
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cinclosomatidae
- Genus
- Cinclosoma
Range and habitat
The chestnut-breasted quail-thrush is found in Northwestern New South Wales and Southwestern Queensland. It occurs predominantly within semi-arid zones featuring sparse woody shrubs, herbaceous vegetation and hummock grasses.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Calabarzon Babbler
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Striking red tanager with fairly limited range in lowlands and foothills below 1,300 m. Male is overall velvety red, brightest on the flanks and rump and darker on the head. Wings and tail are black. Females are duller reddish brown. Note silver bill with swollen base of lower mandible. Unlikely to be confused in range. Typically found in small flocks in shrubby open habitats and second growth.
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