Mammals of Australia

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Owl - Southern Boobook Owl

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The Southern Boobook is the smallest and most common owl in Australia. It is identified by its plumage, which is dark chocolate-brown above and rufous-brown below, heavily streaked and spotted with white. The bill is grey with a darker tip, and the feet are grey or yellow. The facial disc is chocolate brown and the eyes are large and yellowish. Tasmanian birds are smaller and more heavily spotted with white, while birds of the Cape York rainforests are slightly larger and darker. Young Southern Boobooks are almost entirely buff-white below, with conspicuous dark brown facial discs. Like other owl species, the Southern Boobook is nocturnal. Birds are often observed perched on an open branch or tree-top. It is also known as the 'Mopoke'. Distribution: Southern Boobooks are found throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania, and on some coastal islands. Closely related species are found in New Zealand, New Guinea and Indonesia. Feeding: The Southern Boobook feeds...
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Eastern Whipbird

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Having mostly-green plumage and living in the dense undergrowth, the Eastern Whipbird is seen far less often than it is heard. Its whip-crack call is a characteristic of many of the moist forests in eastern Australia. The unusual feature of this call is that it is often performed by two birds calling in unison, with one bird contributing the first part of the call and another giving the second part. This so-called ‘antiphonal’ calling involved great co-ordination between the two birds to give the call its familiar whip-crack sound. Adult Eastern Whipbirds are mostly dark olive-green above, with a long tail, and a grey-white belly. The head and breast are black, with a broad white patch on the side of the face and a black crest. The eye is pale cream and the bill is black. Young whip birds are generally duller, with a smaller crest. The white cheek patch is absent in very young birds, and increases in size as the birds mature. Distribution The range of the Eastern Whipbird is ...
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Quoll - Spotted-tailed Quoll

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The Spotted-tailed Quoll is the second largest carnivorous marsupial in Australia after the Tasmanian Devil. Identification There are four species of quolls in Australia and all have the characteristic pointed snout, well-developed canines and hairy tail. As their name suggests, the Spotted-tailed Quoll is the only species where the pattern of white spots on the body continues to the tail. Distribution The Spotted-tailed Quoll is found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Habitat Spotted-tailed Quolls live in forests and woodlands and heath. Feeding and Diet At night, this solitary animal hunts and feeds on a variety of prey including birds, medium-sized mammals and reptiles, which it attacks by biting the back of the skull or neck. Other behaviours and adaptations During the day, the Spotted-tailed Quoll shelters in caves, rock crevices or hollow logs. Conservation Status The Spotted-tailed Quoll population is seriously threatened througho...
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