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Australian Logrunner (Orthonyx temminckii) Alternate name(s): "Spinetail", "Spine-tailed Log-runner", "Australian Logrunner"; misnomer: "Scrub-quail" Aboriginal name(s): Race "temminckii": "wangum" [Gold Coast]; "chowchilla*" Size: 18-21 cm Body mass: 58-71 g (male), 49-58 g (female)

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Australian Logrunners are relatively small rainforest birds. Their highly cryptic plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Both sexes have a mottled brown crown and grey lores and sides of the head. The back is both mottled and striped an a rufous and black pattern, with the wings having black-and-white barred flight feathers. The rump and flanks are dark-rufous, the sides have a black bar, with a grey bar next to it, the colour of which blends into the rufous of the flanks. The grey tail is spiny. The eyes have dark irises. The short, slighty down-curved bill and the legs and feet are all dark-grey. Male Australian Logrunners have a white front, extending from the throat to the vent, while female Australian Logrunners have a rufous-orange throat and upper chest patch, with the rest of the front being white as the males'. Juveniles are mottled brown, with the back darker brown than the front.

Taxonomy, classification See Australian Logrunner at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Australian Logrunner is available HERE . There is only one race of Australian Logrunners in Australia, race "temminckii", which is endemic to the eastern part of the continent. They inhabit a small part of eastern Australia. In NSW they are found along the coast from about Deua NP to Morton NP and, further North, from the NSW Central Coast to about the Manning River. From there on to the North they are found on the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range, but not the coastal fringe, up to about Maryborough, QLD. Australian Logrunners can be found on the ground, in dense undergrowth of subtropical coastal and near-coastal rainforest. Where to look? How to find this species? Australian Logrunners can reliably be found in leaf litter in rainforest, where they are usually found foraging for grubs.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "temminckii" Australian Logrunners, race "temminckii", were first seen by us in July 2009, at Dorrigo NP, NSW, and again during subsequent visits. In January 2011 a pair of Australian Logrunners, race "temminckii", was found by us at Bongil Bongil NP. We have spotted, and contributors have reported to us, Australian Logrunners, race "temminckii", in various places in the Gold Coast hinterland, in south-eastern QLD, e.g. at O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, and in Springbrook NP. They were found in the same area by various contributors since. E. Scott reports finding an Australian Logrunner, race "temminckii", at Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, in February 2018.

Photos

Race "temminckii"

ADULT

PAIR

Near-frontal view of a pair of Australian Logrunners foraging together in a dark gully; male front left, female back right
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Springbrook NP, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view of a female Australian Logrunner, right, with a male at the back left (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP QLD, August 2013]

MALE

Frontal view of a male Australian Logrunner looking sideways; note the white "bib" (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, January 2020]

Frontal view of a male Australian Logrunner looking sideways (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, February 2018]

Lateral view of a male Australian Logrunner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, January 2020]

Lateral view of a male Australian Logrunner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, January 2020]

Lateral view of a male Australian Logrunner (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP Gold Coast, QLD, April 2013]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a male Australian Logrunner (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP Gold Coast, QLD, November 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a male Australian Logrunner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, November 2024]

Dorsal view of a male Australian Logrunner looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, January 2020]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Australian Logrunner looking sideways; note the orange "bib" (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, November 2024]

Near-frontal view of a female Australian Logrunner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, October 2024]

Near-frontal view of a female Australian Logrunner
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, May 2014]

Near-lateral view of a female Australian Logrunner issuing its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, January 2020]

Near-lateral view of a female Australian Logrunner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, January 2020]

Partly obscured close-up near-lateral view of a female Australian Logrunner moving around in the underbrush
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP QLD, May 2014]

Lateral view of a female Australian Logrunner
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP QLD, May 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a female Australian Logrunner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, January 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a female Australian Logrunner looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP QLD, November 2020]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Pair

We have observed the Australian Logrunners' vigorous sideways scratching technique, which they use to forage in leaf litter and topsoil.

Frontal view of a male Australian Logrunner scratching in leaf litter
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP QLD, May 2014]

Lateral view of a male Australian Logrunner scratching in leaf litter
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP QLD, May 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a male Australian Logrunner scratching in leaf litter (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, QLD, January 2020]

Dorsal view of an Australian Logrunner; sometimes, when staying still for a moment while foraging, they can give the impression of sitting on a nest on the ground
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP QLD, May 2014]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

logrun_me_20241031.m4a	temminckii (SE QLD)	Contact calls(?)	© ME
logrun_me_20200107_3.m4a	temminckii (SE QLD)	Contact calls(?)	© ME
logrun_me_20241008.m4a	temminckii (SE QLD)	Contact calls, Q&A(?)	© ME
logrun_me_20241031_2.m4a	temminckii (SE QLD)	Contact calls, Q&A(?)	© ME
logrun_me_20200107_2.m4a	temminckii (SE QLD)	Contact calls, Q&A(?)	© ME
logrun_me_20200107.m4a	temminckii (SE QLD)	Contact calls, Q&A(?)	© ME
logrun_20150328.m4a	temminckii (NE NSW)	Alarm calls?	© MD
logrun_20160910.m4a	temminckii (NE NSW)	?	© MD
logrun_art_20150420.mp3	temminckii (N NSW)	?	© ART

More Logrunner sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.