Crested Bellbird.
Photo: Purnell Collection © Australian Museum
Distribution map of Oreoica gutturalis
Map © Birds Australia Birdata
Crested Bellbird
Scientific name: Oreoica gutturalis
Family: Pachycephalidae
Order: Passeriformes
What does it look like?
Description
The Crested Bellbird is a medium-sized bird. Adult males have grey heads with a raised black crest, a white forehead and throat, and a prominent black breast. The rest of the body is grey or brown and they have orange-red eyes. Females and immature birds are less prominently coloured than the males, lacking the black breast and having a smaller, unraised black crest. This species is also known as the Crested Thrush, as well as having names such as 'Dick-Dick-the Devil'.
Similar species
The male Crested Bellbird is unmistakable, with his 'punk-like' crest. Females and juveniles are similar to Wedge-bills and the Western Whipbird, but have the slight black crest or stripe at the back of the head. The calls are also distinctive.
Where does it live?
Distribution
The Crested Bellbird is endemic to mainland Australia. It occurs west of the Great Dividing Range, in the south of tropical northern Australia, and through South Australia to the west coast of Western Australia.
Habitat
The Crested Bellbird occurs from semi-arid coastlines to the arid Australia interior. They are found in acacia shrublands, eucalypt woodlands, spinifex and chenopod (saltbush) plains or dunes.
Seasonal movements
The Crested Bellbird is sedentary or locally nomadic in drier regions.
What does it do?
Feeding
The Crested Bellbird feeds on invertebrates and some seeds. They forage on the ground or in low shrubs. They are usually solitary or occur in pairs during the breeding season. Sometimes they occur in mixed feeding flocks with Chestnut-rumped Thornbills and Red-capped Robins.
Breeding
The Crested Bellbird forms pairs for the breeding season and makes a cup-shaped nest of twigs, bark or leaves, usually placed in the fork of a tree. Both sexes will incubate the eggs.
Living with us
Living with humans
The range of the Crested Bellbird has contracted because of habitat destruction from land clearance, being particularly susceptible to fragmentation. Cats also pose a threat throughout its range. It is listed as threatened in Victoria.
References
Pizzey, G. and Knight, F. 1997. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
Morcombe, M. 2000. Field guide to Australian Birds. Steve Parish Publishing.
Higgins, P.J. and J.M. Peter (eds) 2002. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Volume 6: Pardalotes to Shrike-thrushes. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.