Birds of North Queensland

24/04/2026

White-necked (Pacific) Heron
(Ardea pacifica)

Photographed Lockhart River

Diet consists of freshwater mussels, fish, shrimp, freshwater crayfish, spiders, dragonfly nymphs, damselflies, praying mantis, grasshoppers, water beetles, lizards, young ducklings, young freshwater rat, and amphibians. Young are fed with regurgitated tadpoles and will knock smaller young out of the nest in competition for food.

24/04/2026

Spotted Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna guttata)

Photographed Iron Range

Distribution:
Whistling ducks are found all over the world. The Spotted Whistling Duck is distributed throughout the Philippines, Australia, and New Guinea These ducks live in the southern part of the Philippines and several islands of Indonesia. In Indonesia spotted whistling ducks stretch from the Eastern Lesser Sundas islands to new guinea. Spotted Whistling Ducks are also found in Weipa, Iron Range and Bamaga, Australia, but have also been seen at Wonga Beach, Daintree River, Port Douglas, Cairns and Cattana Wetlands. Scientists hypothesize the Indonesian population was introduced due to a storm blowing the birds off course.

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24/04/2026

Fawn-breasted Bowerbird Bower (Chlamydera cerviniventris)
Photographed Iron Rage

The bower is that of "avenue-type" with two sides of wall of sticks and usually decorated with green-coloured berries.

31/03/2026

20/03/2026

Glossy Ibis
(Plegadis falcinellus)

Photographed Port Douglas

Breeding:
The Glossy Ibis builds a platform nest of sticks, usually with a lining of aquatic plants, between the upright branches of trees or shrubs growing in water. Glossy Ibis breed together with other ibises and other water birds in small colonies.

20/03/2026

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
(Calidris acuminata)

Photographed Port Douglas

Description
The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is a medium sized wader with a straight black bill that has an olive-grey base. It has a chestnut crown and nape, a white eyebrow, and reddish brown upperparts, with each feather having a black centre. The rump and tail are black, with white outer margins visible in flight. The wings have an indistinct white bar. The breast and flanks are white, streaked and speckled black, with a reddish brown tinge on the chest, grading into a white belly and undertail. The legs are olive. This species is commonly seen with other waders during its migration from northern breeding grounds.

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20/03/2026

Torresian Crow
(Corvus orru)

Photographed MT Carbine

Nesting
The main breeding period occurs from August to January, with most eggs being laid in September and October. The stick nest is built high in a tree, usually a eucalypt, however other locations such as power pylons and tall buildings are occasionally chosen. Two to four eggs are laid which the female incubates for roughly twenty days and then is assisted by the male in rearing the chicks for around forty days until they leave the nest. Young Torresian Crows then stay with their parents for several months after fledging, before joining the nomadic flock. Torresian crows aggressively defend their nest from goannas, snakes and birds of prey with aggressive dive-bombs. Dogs, cats and humans are also occasionally swooped in nest defence, however not nearly as aggressively as notorious species such as Australian Magpies and masked lapwings.
Voice
Their voice is quite different from the Australian raven: whilst the more standard loud penetrating Australian Raven/Crow call "Fark! Fark!" may occur there is often a more nasal, metallic clattering "uk-uk-uk-uk-uk" or sometimes an "ok-ok-ok-ok" or "Ar-ar-argh", sometimes with an upward inflection, somewhat like a cat meow. This may be following the more standard call or may be delivered in isolation.

19/03/2026

Little Shrike-thrush
(Colluricincla megarhyncha)

Photographed Yungaburra

16/03/2026

White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis)
(Photographed near Atherton )