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19

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
Weight: 58-71 g (male), 49-58 g (female)

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Australian Logrunner at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "temminckii"

ADULT

MALE

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

Frontal view of a male Australian Logrunner (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, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

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

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, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

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

FEMALE

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

Near-lateral view of a female Australian Logrunner; note the orange "bib" (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

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

Near-lateral view of a female Australian Logrunner moving around in the underbrush
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP Gold Coast, QLD, May 2014]

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

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

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

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 Gold Coast, QLD, August 2013]

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 Gold Coast, QLD, May 2014]

Lateral view of a male Australian Logrunner scratching in leaf litter
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP Gold Coast, 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, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

Sometimes, when staying still for a moment, foraging Australian Logrunners can give the impression of sitting on a nest on the ground
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP Gold Coast, 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_20140522_2.mp3 temminckii
(SE QLD)
Contact call © MD
logrun_me_20200107_3.m4a temminckii
(SE QLD)
Contact calls(?) © 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_20140522_9.mp3 temminckii
(SE QLD)
Q&As © MD
logrun_20140522_3.mp3 temminckii
(SE QLD)
Q&As © MD
logrun_20140522_8.mp3 temminckii
(SE QLD)
Alarm call? © MD
logrun_20140522_7.mp3 temminckii
(SE QLD)
Territorial dispute © MD
logrun_20140526.mp3 temminckii
(SE QLD)
Annoyed calls? © MD
logrun_20140522_5.mp3 temminckii
(SE QLD)
In-flight (arrival) © 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.

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