Sure, I have a lot of favourite birds. But up near the top is the Rufous Bristlebird, a special bird for this area. About the size of a Common Blackbird, it is full of character and runs super fast.
Rufous Bristlebird
Even if you can’t see it, you might be able to hear it. It is hard to describe the call, but it has a good wind-up, then a crisp, whippy, crescendo finish. Check out this recording: https://xeno-canto.org/763119
In the Aussie Bird Count of 2024, around one million birds were recorded in Victoria, and only 56 of these were Rufous Bristlebirds. Just 0.1% of surveys reported seeing the bird. So, the bird is generally rare, but locally common. The local subspecies, Dasyonis broadbenti ssp. caryochrous, is seen from Peterborough to Torquay. One of the best places to experience your bristlebird thrill is on the cliff walk at Aireys Inlet.
James Orton