These well camouflaged birds form monogamous pair bonds, sustained by the male feeding the female. They call to establish each other’s whereabouts with a strange cat-like ‘heer I aar’, which is also said to resemble the sound of a crying baby. The male/female bond is maintained by the duet call as well as the by the male bringing food gifts to his mate and helping to rear the nestlings. An active and wary bird, they are omnivorous and are known to feed on other birds.
(Illustration by Beryl Robertson)
Ailuroedus crassirostris 24 - 33cm
More brilliant birds . . .
Yellow-throated scrubwren – Eastern yellow robin – Rufous fantail – Golden whistler – Eastern whipbird – Noisy pitta – Regent bowerbird – Emerald dove – Rose-crowned fruit dove – Green catbird – Paradise riflebird – Wompoo fruit-dove
