Black Curassow

Fairly common but elusive; heard far more often than seen. Favors native temperate forest and adjacent shrubbery, especially bamboo. Feeds on the ground by scratching with its big feet in leaf litter, and runs very quickly and stealthily. Agitated birds can call loudly from middle level perches, cocking their tail. Nests in burrows, but can nest high up in tree hollows. Plumage distinctive, with pale eyering, dark slaty throat and breast, and rusty belly. No range overlap with Chestnut-throated Huet-huet.

Large, chunky songbird with thick hooked bill, found in mangrove vegetation of northern Australia. Male gray above, white below, with black crown connected to black-and-brown collar that encloses white throat. White throat recalls similar Rufous Whistler. Female and immature gray above, pale below, with extensive fine streaking that fades into an almost white belly. Compare Little Shrikethrush, which is smaller with a more obvious pale eyebrow. Loud whistling calls, including a two-note rising "toooo-whittt.”

More of a soft blush than a burning flame, the red patch on the male’s face is nonetheless unique. The female lacks the red patch, but is still distinctive in her size, small sharp bill, and pale wingbars. Both sexes are yellow above and pale gray below, with the male being more predominantly yellow than the female. Found in montane broadleaf forest at middle to high elevations, sometimes mixed in with other species; some populations descend to lower foothills and lowlands in the winter. Song is an undulating series of twitters, chips, and trills; also twitters and trills when flocking.