{{Short description|Species of bird}} {{about|the bird|the city|Chowchilla, California|other uses}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Speciesbox | name = Chowchilla | image = Chowchillapair.jpg | image_caption = Pair, Paluma, Queensland | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 13 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2017 |title=''Orthonyx spaldingii'' |volume=2017 |article-number=e.T22704977A118670720 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22704977A118670720.en |access-date=13 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Orthonyx | species = spaldingii | authority = Ramsay, 1868 | synonyms = }}
The '''chowchilla''' ('''''Orthonyx spaldingii''''') is a passerine bird in the family Orthonychidae. It is endemic to Australia.
==Taxonomy== In their 1999 study, Schodde and Mason recognise two adjoining subspecies, ''O. s. spaldingii'' and ''O. s. melasmenus'' with a zone of intergradation.<ref name=Sch99>{{cite book |title=The Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines. A Taxonomic and Zoogeographic Atlas of the Biodiversity of Birds in Australia and its Territories. |vauthors=Schodde R, Mason IJ|year=1999 |publisher=CSIRO Publishing |location=Collingwood, Australia |isbn= 0-643-06456-7|pages=x 851 pp}}</ref>
==Description==
Unmistakable thrush-like, ground-dwelling, birds. Males and females largely dark brown with white eye-ring, tail-feather shafts extend as spines beyond feather-vanes; males with white throat, breast and belly; females with bright rufous throat and upper breast, white lower breast and belly.
==Distribution and habitat== The chowchilla is restricted to upland and lowland tropical rainforests of north-eastern Queensland.
==Behaviour==
===Diet=== Mainly invertebrates, but also small vertebrates.
===Voice=== Continuous chattering, singing and other complex vocalisations.
===Breeding=== Nests on or near ground, often on ferns, stumps or logs. Builds a bulky, dome-shaped stick-nest with a clutch of one, possibly sometimes two, white eggs.
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Chowchilla.jpg|Near Mount Lewis – Australia File:Chowchilla Orthonyx spaldingii (male left, female right).JPG|Male (left). female (right) </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}} * BirdLife International. (2007). Species factsheet: Orthonyx spaldingii. Downloaded from [https://web.archive.org/web/20130509230344/http://birdlife.org/] on 9 August 2007 * Higgins, P.J.; & Peter, J.M. (eds). (2003). ''Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 6: Pardalotes to Shrike-thrushes''. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. {{ISBN|0-19-553762-9}}
==External links== *[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/grzimek_birds/Orthonychidae/orthonyx_spaldingii.jpg/view.html Image at ADW] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616065053/http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/grzimek_birds/Orthonychidae/orthonyx_spaldingii.jpg/view.html |date=16 June 2011 }}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1315452}}
Category:Orthonyx Category:Birds of Cape York Peninsula Category:Endemic birds of Queensland Category:Birds described in 1868