Spotted Catbird

Overview

The Ailuroedus maculosus is a chunky rainforest bird native to north Queensland, Australia, as well as New Guinea and the eastern Moluccas. Although it is a member of the bowerbird family, it is distinct in that it does not build a bower and is the only monogamous genus within the Australian bowerbird species.

Identification

• 26–30 cm in length with males weighing 180 g and females 168 g.
• Bright green upperparts with heavy olive chevrons and white streaking on a green-olive underbody.
• Large dusky head featuring a blackish cap and black ear-patch, along with a stout, cream-coloured bill and red eyes.
• Vocalisations include loud, cat-like wailing, a nasal 'here-I-arr' call, sharp clicks, and three loud cries.

Habitat

This species inhabits tropical rainforests, with two isolated populations in far north Queensland, Australia: one on Cape York and the other in the wet tropics region. They prefer well-vegetated areas with steep creek slopes and forests containing Calamus tangles, maintaining a home range of 1–2 hectares.

Diet

Primarily frugivorous, they consume small and large structurally-unprotected fruits, including palms, wild figs, and berries, as well as new buds and fern shoots. They also feed on insects such as beetles and cicadas, and have been observed to depredate the nests of other birds, consuming nestlings and eggs.

Did you know?

This species is known to exhibit bold and predatory behaviour, including raiding the nests of other birds to feed nestlings taken from those nests to their own young. They have also been documented eating birds trapped in mist-nets and even small, soft-shelled snails.