Australian ...thrush of some sort maybe?

I was working in the garden today and this little fellow decided to join me ...he flew so close I thought he would land on me ...could this be a juvenile just starting out on his own?

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Maybe Richard's (Australasian) Pipit...did it pump its tail up-and-down?

Sorry, don't know what it is (I don't have an Australian field guide), but it isn't a pipit, wrong structure (and wrong habitat, too)

Resin

It could be a Pipit, but the pipit has white outer tail feathers, so iy seems unlikely. I think the most likely bird is the female Brown Songlark - Cinclorhamphus cruralis

Oh well...I've seen several Richard's Pipits...have never seen a Songlark

This is from the Australian Museum website:

"The female Brown Songlark could be mistaken for the Rufous Songlark, female White-winged Triller, Skylark, or Richard's Pipit. ....."

I fear I'm not convinced on Brown Songlark, either, after reading up a bit on it. It is strongly confined to central Australia, "only in years of exceptional movements does it cross the Great Dividing Range to reach the Pacific coast" [where Brisbane is, of course]. The habitat also doesn't fit; it is (like Richard's Pipit!) a bird of dry grassland, not something that would visit a garden full of shrubs.

The bill also doesn't fit too well - fairly deep-based, verging on finch-like rather than insect-eating, tapered to a fine sharp tip, and slightly downcurved. Pics of Brown Songlark show it having a slenderer, straight bill with a blunter tip.

I can try posting the pics on another forum if you like.

Resin

Thanks everyone for your help...Kennedy You may be right ...it does look like it doesn't it ...I had thought maybe a brown thrush but I do not know if they are native to these parts.cheers

This message was edited Jan 9, 2009 7:48 PM