Animalia Life

Orthonyx temminckii
TAXONOMY
Orthonyx temminckii Ranzani, 1822, Hat Hill, New South Wales, Australia.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Spine-tailed logrunner; French: Orthonyx de Temminck; German: Stachelschwanzflцter; Spanish: Corretroncos Cola de Espinas. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS 7.3–8.3 in (18.5–21 cm); female 0.1–0.13 lb (46–58 g), male 0.13–0.15 lb (58–70 g). Gray and tan patterned plumage with black side-stripe. Males have white throats; orange throats in females.
DISTRIBUTION
Central eastern Australia.
HABITAT
Rainforest, edges of contiguous wet sclerophyll forest, and dense fringing vegetation, including introduced species.
BEHAVIOR
Sedentary. Territorial throughout year, usually living in pairs or small family parties. Often shy, but generally ignores human observers when foraging. Generally unobtrusive except when giving loud, penetrating calls; most characteristic a lengthy rapid series of “weet” notes; also a piercing “kweek” when alarmed.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Eats insects and other small soil invertebrates uncovered by vigorous scratching; leaves characteristic shallow depressions in soil.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Breeds May to August, sometimes April to October; produces one or two broods per season. Female alone builds nest, incubates, and provides most of care for young. Nest is a dome of sticks and other vegetation with a side entrance overhung by moss; placed on or near ground against trunk or clump of vegetation. Two white eggs are laid. Incubation, 21–25 days; fledging period 16–18 days.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened. Common in northern part of range, decreasing southwards until rare at southern limits.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.

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