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20

Little Shrike-thrush

(Colluricincla megarhyncha)
Alternate name(s): "Rufous Shrike-thrush"
Aboriginal name(s): Race "griseata": "gugubarbi" [ngadjon]

Size: 17-19 cm
Weight: 33-49 g

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 Little Shrike-thrush at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "parvula"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Robin Falls, near Adelaide River township, NT, December 2020]

Near-lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, October 2020]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush looking back; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 27 May 2020
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2020]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, December 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, December 2015]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush issuing its call (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Robin Falls, near Adelaide River township, NT, December 2020]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush foraging in leaf litter (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of a Little Shrike-thrush; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 4 August 2018
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, August 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, October 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 11 April 2020
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 20 February 2019
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Charles Darwin NP, Darwin, NT, February 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush, now seen calling; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 20 February 2019 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Charles Darwin NP, Darwin, NT, February 2019]

Race "griseata"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Close-up near-frontal view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Kingfisher Park, Julatten, QLD, December 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush taking on big prey (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Kingfisher Park, Julatten, QLD, December 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush dissecting its prey (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Kingfisher Park, Julatten, QLD, December 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Julatten, QLD, July 2013]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Dorsal view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush; note the rufous juvenile wing feathers
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Julatten, QLD, July 2018]

Race "synaptica"

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Dorsal view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, September 2020]

Race "gouldii"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush
[Byfield NP, QLD, July 2009]

The same Little Shrike-thrush as shown above, here seen from above...
[Byfield NP, QLD, July 2009]

... and here from below
[Byfield NP, QLD, July 2009]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Lateral view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Race "rufogaster"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, March 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, March 2017]

Lateral/ventral view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, July 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, May 2017]

Dorsal view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, May 2017]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Inskip Point, QLD, December 2017]

Frontal view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush, here seen preening (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Inskip Point, QLD, December 2017]

Race "normani"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Iron Range NP, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Chili Beach, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Shrike-thrush (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gunshot Creek, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Food, Diet

Lateral/ventral view of a Little Shrike-thrush with a moth (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Yungaburra, QLD, November 2022]

Little Shrike-thrush with a caterpillar (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush with its prey, a hairy caterpillar (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush with its prey, a hairy caterpillar (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Little Shrike-thrush with its prey, a hairy caterpillar (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Little Shrike-thrush looking for prey (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Ludmilla Creek, Darwin, NT, January 2021]

Little Shrike-thrush with its find, a larva (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Ludmilla Creek, Darwin, NT, January 2021]

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.

ltshrth_pb_20180726.m4a parvula
(Darwin, NT)
Contact call(?) © PB
ltshrth_pb_20200207.m4a parvula
(Darwin, NT)
Contact call(?) © PB
ltshrth_pb_20200411.m4a parvula
(Darwin, NT)
Territorial call(?) © PB
ltshrth_pb_20200527.m4a parvula
(Darwin, NT)
Territorial call(?) © PB
ltshrth_pb_20200411_2.m4a parvula
(Darwin, NT)
Hissing mobbing/alarm call (Rufous Owl), with Yellow-throated Miners © PB
ltshrth_pb_20190220.m4a parvula
(Darwin, NT)
Various © PB
ltshrth_pb_20180804.m4a parvula
(Darwin, NT)
Various © PB
ltshrth_pb_20200527_2.m4a parvula
(Darwin, NT)
Various © PB
ltshrth_pb_20200619.m4a parvula
(Darwin, NT)
? © PB
 
ltshrth_me_20200927.m4a synaptica (Near Townsville, QLD) ? © ME

More Little Shrike-thrush 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.