Noisy Scrubbird

Noise thicket of birds ( Atrichornis clamosus )

The noise thicket of birds ( Atrichornis clamosus ), also known as Chestnut-bellied Thicket Big Thicket bird or knickers, is a passerine bird of the family of the thicket birds, endemic to Western Australia. He was for several decades to be extinct until it was accidentally rediscovered in 1961.

Description

The noise thicket bird was in 1842 by British naturalist John Gilbert (1811 - 1845) discovered near Waroona in the Darling Range south-east of Perth and first described in 1844 by John Gould. It reaches a size of 22-26 cm. It has short rounded wings, a long round tail and a characteristic triangular main profile. The adults have a dark brown plumage. The top is striped pale dark. The wings are reddish brown. The color of the underside is gray-brown, which mixes the rump and the under tail-coverts back into reddish brown. The underbust is cream colored and the males have a black triangle at the throat with distinct white stripes. The throat of the female is whitish. The young birds are ungestreift and have a brown yellow-colored throat and chest.

Song of the Chestnut-bellied Thicket bird is varied and still be heard at a distance of 1.5 kilometers from humans. The vocals often includes elements from Call other bird species.

Way of life

The noise thicket bird moves stealthily through the tangled scrub and heath vegetation.

It feeds on frogs, insects and lizards. Thanks to its powerful legs he can pursue its prey on foot and reaches the speed of a mouse. The wings are regressed on the other hand, he can not fly so particularly well.

Threats and conservation program

According to the records of John Gilbert of the Chestnut-bellied Thicket bird was observed relatively frequent at the time of its discovery on the heathland near the city of Albany. The stock decline after the discovery of the species is probably due to the differences in management by European settlers and Aborigines. Aboriginal brandroteten the area from at longer intervals, European settlers, however, every two to three years. They removed regularly so that the dense undergrowth, to which this species depends.

The noise thicket bird is now endemic in the Two Peoples Bay, a 160 -acre site in Western Australia. He was from 1889 to be extinct, but was rediscovered in 1961 by some Australian ornithologist. The Two People Bay is a hilly, rugged terrain, which is very limited for agricultural use. At the time of discovery, when the population was estimated at more than a hundred individuals, but a great new development project for this region was planned.

In 1970 it was estimated the global inventory to 45 copies. Due to the rediscovery of the city of Albany picked up original plans for the expansion of the city and declared the area around the Two Peoples Bay National Park. Until 1976, most of the inventory was limited to a small area at Mount Gardner and Gardner Lake in the Two Peoples Bay. Thanks to the strict protective measures which included the resettlement in five other areas, including Drakesbrook ( in Perth ) and soon Iceland, the stock could recover the mid-1990s to 400 animals and is currently about 1500 copies. As the main threat bushfires that have greatly added to the bad birds flying in the past apply.