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Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis) Alternate name(s): "Bellbird" Aboriginal name(s): "bokonbokon", "barkabark", "dirldirl" (WA); "burn-burn-boolala", "kangoo" Size: 20-22 cm Body mass: 55-75 g

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Crested Bellbirds are bushland birds of the Australian interior with a dimorphic plumage, i.e. males and females are different. Both sexes have a grey head, light-grey belly and grey-brown back. The flight feathers have grey leading edges; the tail is greyish-brown. The sides, flanks and rump are buff. Male Crested Bellbirds have a black crown, the feathers of which can be erected as a crest, with a black bar through each eye that connects to a wide, black breast band ("bib"). The frons and throat are white. The eyes of male Crested Bellbirds have orange irises. Female Crested Bellbirds have only a thin black stripe on the crown. The eyes have dark-brown irises. They have a plain-grey front (frons, throat, breast), without any black or white feathers. The short, stout bill of both sexes is dark-grey; legs and feet are grey. Immature male Crested Bellbirds have a dark throat patch. Except for a pale base of the bill and darker brown irises, juvenile Crested Bellbirds resemble adult females.

Taxonomy, classification See Crested Bellbird 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 Crested Bellbird is available HERE . NB: Reports on ebird of birds submitted by birdwatchers from the Australian Outback tend to be clustered along roads and public areas such as camp grounds; in such cases their distribution is not a good representation of the overall distribution of the species. Crested Bellbirds are endemic to the Australian continent. They are found mostly inland, in the semi-arid to arid interior of the continent. It is easiest to describe where they are NOT found: In WA, they avoid the far South-West of the state, the Nullarbor, the Kimberley and a narrow strip from Eighty Mile Beach to the WA border with the NT at the tropic of Capricorn. They avoid the far North of the NT, the South coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York peninsula in QLD (i.e., the heavily wooded tropical areas). In QLD, NSW and VIC they also do NOT occur on the East and South coast, the Great Dividing Range (GDR) and the Australian Alps. This is in marked difference to the 1970ies, when they were found well into the GDR in NSW, e.g. up to Bundarra and Kingstown, NSW. In the 2020ies, they are withdrawing from the eastern Pilliga scrub. In the red centre, they avoid the Lake Eyre Basin, leaving about 80% of the continent for them to inhabit. Within this range, nominate race "gutturalis" occupies southern central QLD, inland NSW, southern SA and southern WA. Everywhere else, which is basically far-western QLD, most of the inland NT and most of inland WA and the North-West coast, race "pallescens" is found. Crested Bellbirds have a preference for semi-arid to arid habitats, such as scrub and open woodland. Where to look? How to find this species? Crested Bellbirds are a very vocal species, which makes them easy to find if they are in the mood to call/sing. However, when quiet they can be hard to spot because they are masters of staying under cover. The male can be spotted while doing its rounds to mark its territory; the female can possibly be found while foraging, either on the ground or low in shrubs.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "gutturalis" We first spotted a Crested Bellbird, race "gutturalis", in the north-eastern Pilliga scrub, ca. 30 km south of Narrabri, NSW, in May 2006. J. Faris reports occasionally hearing Crested Bellbirds, race "gutturalis", calling in the Pilliga scrub, e.g. in Timmallallie NP in October 2010. R. Brinsley reports spotting Crested Bellbirds, race "gutturalis", nesting on a private property about 85 km West of Wentworth, NSW, in September 2011. Crested Bellbirds, race "gutturalis", were spotted by us in many locations in outback NSW in September 2012. They are common "back o' Bourke", i.e. westward and to the North of Bourke, NSW, and have been found by us in the area consistently over the years. At least one pair of Crested Bellbirds, race "gutturalis", is consistently found by us in one location in the north-western part of the Pilliga scrub, in Pilliga West SCA, about 30 km South of Pilliga, NSW, since August 2015. M. Eaton reports spotting Crested Bellbirds, race "gutturalis", in various locations in outback QLD, e.g. at Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, in September 2017, and at Kilcowera Station, between Thargomindah and Hungerford, QLD, in June 2020. Race "pallescens" J. Greaves reports spotting Crested Bellbirds, race "pallescens", at Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, in August 2016. M. Eaton found Crested Bellbirds, race "pallescens", along the Barkley Highway, 50 km NW of Mount Isa, QLD, in June 2021. Others were found in Alice Springs, NT, on various occasions.

Photos

Race "gutturalis"

ADULT

MALE

Near-frontal view of a male Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kilcowera Station, between Thargomindah and Hungerford, QLD, June 2020]

Near-lateral view of a male Crested Bellbird looking towards the observer
[100 km North of Bourke, NSW, September 2012]

Near-lateral view of a male Crested Bellbird
[100 km North of Bourke, NSW, September 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a male Crested Bellbird with its crest erected while calling (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kilcowera Station, between Thargomindah and Hungerford, QLD, June 2020]

Dorsal view of a male Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kilcowera Station, between Thargomindah and Hungerford, QLD, June 2020]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Crested Bellbird
[100 km North of Bourke, NSW, September 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a female Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]

Dorsal view of a female Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Crested Bellbird - note the pale gape and the predominantly brownish (rather than greyish) colours
[Pilliga West SCA, NSW, March 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Crested Bellbird
[Pilliga West SCA, NSW, March 2018]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Crested Bellbird looking sideways
[Pilliga West SCA, NSW, March 2018]

Race "pallescens"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Crested Bellbird checking out something on the ground (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, June 2023]

Near-frontal view of a male Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, August 2016]

Near-lateral view of a male Crested Bellbird looking at the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, October 2022]

Near-lateral view of a male Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, June 2023]

Near-lateral view of a male Crested Bellbird looking sideways erected (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, August 2016]

Lateral view of a male Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, October 2022]

Lateral view of a male Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, June 2023]

Lateral view of a male Crested Bellbird issuing its call (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, August 2016]

Dorsal view of a male Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, June 2023]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Barkley Highway, 50 km NW of Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a female Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Barkley Highway, 50 km NW of Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a female Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Barkley Highway, 50 km NW of Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]

Dorsal view of a female Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Barkley Highway, 50 km NW of Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of an immature Crested Bellbird; note the black throat patch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Barkley Highway, 50 km NW of Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]

Lateral view of an immature Crested Bellbird looking at the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Barkley Highway, 50 km NW of Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]

Lateral view of a immature Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Barkley Highway, 50 km NW of Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of an immature Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Barkley Highway, 50 km NW of Mount Isa, QLD, June 2021]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, October 2022]

Lateral view of a juvenile Crested Bellbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, October 2022]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Feb

Eggs: 3 - 4

Incubation period: 14? - 16? days

Fledging age: ca. 12? - 14? days

Given the right conditions, especially after good inland rainfall, Crested Bellbirds can in principle breed any time of the year.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks, root fibres, bark strips

Height above ground: 1 - 3 m

Crested Bellbirds' nest in a Pearly Bluebush; note the stunned hairy caterpillar on the rim of the nest, which is typical for this bird species to place there (photo courtesy of R. Brinsley)
[85 km west of Wentworth, NSW, September 2011]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 26 x 20 mm

Colour: White, with sparse near-black speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Unobstructed view of the two eggs in the same Crested Bellbirds' nest as shown above; usually there should be 3-4 eggs (photo courtesy of R. Brinsley)
[85 km west of Wentworth, NSW, September 2011]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Pair

Crested Bellbirds tend to stay hidden in cover, both on the ground and in trees and shrubs, and are therefore usually difficult to photograph.

Food, Diet

Crested Bellbirds feed primarily on arthropods (insects, myriapods, arachnids).

Near-dorsal view of a male Crested Bellbird with remnants of its prey, possibly a beetle (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, June 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a male Crested Bellbird with remnants of its prey, possibly a beetle (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Alice Springs, NT, June 2023]

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.

crstbel_20180217.m4a	gutturalis (NW NSW)	Territorial calls (male)	© MD
crstbel_20180331.m4a	gutturalis (NW NSW)	Territorial calls (male)	© MD
crstbel_20180331_2.m4a	gutturalis (NW NSW)	Territorial calls (male)	© MD
crstbel_20190617.m4a	gutturalis (SW QLD)	Territorial calls (male)	© MD
crstbel_20190618.m4a	gutturalis (SW QLD)	Territorial calls (male)	© MD
crstbel_jg_20160803.m4a	pallescens (Ctl WA)	Territorial calls	© JG
crstbel_me_20210607.m4a	pallescens (N QLD)	Warning calls female (human)	© ME

More Crested Bellbird 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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