In tropical mountain rainforests, Bower’s shrikethrush (Colluricincla boweri) songs are a distinctive summer sound. The bird rarely occurs below 400 meters in elevation. This species’ repertoire includes frequently heard items that sound like da-dee-da-dee, pon-pon-pon.
During the first four notes, there is a quick and quiet sound, and during the last four, there is a deep, plunking whistle that carries through the forest. Bower’s Shrike-thrush’s calls are harsh gratings, clicking chirps, and loud chucks. A deep series of whistles is the song of Bower’s Shrike-thrush: da-dee-da-dee, pon-pon-pon.
A Bower’s shrikethrush is a sturdy songbird of the Pachycephalidae (Whistlers) family. This species is one of four shrike-thrushes found in Australian rainforests, two of them occurring in tropical wet forests. In comparison to the other three, this one is less well-known.
These birds live singly or in pairs in the middle and lower strata of the forest. Foraging for insects and larvae, they often perch to wait and pounce on prey. There are times when they deliberately hop up trees to pick up insects, or down to pick up insects from the ground. Short swoops are characteristic of Bower’s Shrike-thrush’s movements through the rainforest.
Particularly in winter, when it stops calling and descends to low altitudes, even sea level, it is quiet and unobtrusive in its movements.
In the mountain rainforests between Ingham and Cooktown, Queensland, Bower’s Shrike-thrush, a bird with a distinctive grey back and heavy bill, replaces the Little Shrike-thrush at many higher altitudes above 800 meters. Since the Bowers Shrike-Thrush is smaller than the Little Shrike-Thrush, its name doesn’t help.
There are several names for this beautiful Australian bird, including Bower Thrush, Stripe-breasted Shrike-thrush, and Stripe-breasted Thrush.
Bower’s shrikethrush is a sturdy songbird of the Pachycephalidae (Whistlers) family. Photo Credit – Jim Bendon
Approximately 190-200 mm is the size of Bower’s Shrike-thrush. There is no difference between the sexes. As an adult, the upper parts are dark gray and the tail and wing quills are gray-brown. The predominant color on the face is dark gray, and the predominant color on the body is gray-white. The underparts are rich tawny-ochre, the chin is whiter, and the throat and upper breast are finely streaked with dark gray. There is a large black bill and red-brown eyes. Leaden-grey is the color of the feet. Pale feathers surround the eyes of some birds. An immature bird’s back and breast are browner, duller, and heavily streaked; its eyes are brown.
Nesting and breeding season lasts from October to January. The nest is a coarse open cup made from dry leaves and bark strips. It is lined with finer fibers and rootlets. Two to ten meters above the ground, nests are usually found in vine tangles or leafy forks of small trees.
Bower’s shrikethrush lays two eggs that are smooth, lustrous, pearly off-white, and flecked with pale brown, red-brown, and grey. The larger eggs are often swollen ovals or long ovals, measuring about 24 x 19 mm.
From Cooktown to Ingham, Queensland, this bird can be found in mountain rainforests above about 400 meters. Winters are occasionally spent at lower altitudes locally.
