Greg's Wildlife Ramblings: In search of the elusive Rufous Scrub-bird

The Rufous Scrub-bird is one of the most elusive birds in the world. Early collectors found it very difficult to secure specimens for museums as it was very difficult to shoot. The bird moves through the leaf litter like a small mammal. Because of its reclusive habits it has a very loud call which allows it to advise that its territory is occupied. For this reason many bird watchers have heard a Rufous Scrub-bird but have not seen one. This was the situation when last Friday I was searching for this species with two Queenslanders, Judy and Rae at Gibraltar Range National Park. Although the species is not breeding at this time of the year I had expected to at least hear it, even if we couldn't see it. It calls mostly during the spring breeding season but I have heard the species call throughout the year. We visited four territories, the first close to the Gwydir Highway. This was our regular Twitchathon bird but wasn't calling there at Twitchathon time although it was the prime time for calling then. We were disappointed again on Friday as it was silent. I tried some limited call playback but although a number of other species were singing their hearts out there was no Scrub-bird call to be heard. On to the site where we did hear it on the Twitchathon and again no Scrub-bird calls. The third site involved a short stroll along a walking track near Mulligans Camp and we were distracted by a good number of birds, including Brown and Striated Thornbills, Brown Gerygone, Golden Whistler, New Holland Honeyeater and Musk Lorikeet. A flock of five Topknot Pigeons flew high above the canopy obviously searching out a fruiting rainforest tree. We arrived at the Scrub-bird site and I found an edge with the correct type of vegetation structure so played the call. We heard a faint response but it was hard to distinguish it among all of the other calls, including those of the Eastern Whipbird, Brown Gerygone and Eastern Spinebill. Then I glimpsed it, a small brown flash, checking out the playback speaker. "Over here" I beckoned but it was too late. It had disappeared into the ether and didn't make a comeback. We had great views, and photo opportunities, of an adult Black-faced Monarch at Mulligan's Camp. On to site four which involved a short walk from the road down to a beautiful forest dominated by very tall Messmate Stringybarks. The Messmate was the first eucalypt species described by botanist, Charles-Louis L'Heritier de Brutelle, a French minor aristocrat, in 1788 (Australian Eucalypts by Mervyn Millet 1969). On our return trip we checked out the second site again but still no Scrub-bird. I did find a Yellow-throated Scrubwren nest with two advanced nestlings though. The trip down the Range resulted in views of a number of Satin Bowerbirds, a couple of Bassian Thrushes and some Brown Cuckoo-Doves. Although Judy and Rae didn't see the target species they said that they really enjoyed the morning and that it is a wonderful area. I would have to agree with them.