Cinnamon Becard

Small mostly terrestrial bird of rainforest and wet eucalypt woodlands in a very small range in the Atherton Tabelands of far northern Queensland. Brownish above, grayish yellow below, with long pointed bill, long pinkish legs, and off-white eyering. Forages for insects mostly on the ground or in the lower canopy. Compare Large-billed Scrubwren, which is paler, less likely to feed on the ground, slightly smaller, and has a more twittering call. Song is variable, often including repeated two-note elements.

Spectacular large hummingbird of humid tropical lowlands. Favors shady forest understory and edges, especially with patches of Heliconia flowers. Males sit and sing tirelessly from perches in the understory while pumping their tail. When feeding, hovers briefly with long white tail streamers held nearly vertical and shoots off with an explosive squeak. Note the striped face, very long, arched bill, and rather drab plumage. Unlike many hummingbirds, hermits do not defend a patch of flowers but zip between widely scattered flowers, a strategy known as traplining (like it is checking widely scattered nectar traps).

Small, active, gray bird with a long bill and a dark-tipped, frequently-cocked-up tail. Orange face diagnostic within its range. Males are gray-throated, whereas females have white throats. Common in mangroves, but also frequently encountered in edge, open forest, and other secondary growth. Generally quite tolerant of human habitation and can be found in parks and on roadsides. Song is crisp and bright: a repeated “twoo-lip, twoo-lip” or “chip-wee, chip-wee”. Calls are variable but frequently sound like isolated fragments of song.