While participating in a faunal survey of Australian rainforest, observations were made
on the aggressive display of the Northern Chowchilla Orthonyx spaldingii and Spine-tailed
Chowchilla O. temminckii. In both instances the behaviour was exhibited by the male
towards the author in response to capture of his mate.

Two species of the small bitterns Ixobrychus have been recorded from Australia,
the Little Bittern I. minutus and the Yellow Bittern I. sinensis. Although considered by
Condon (1975) to be rare in Australia, the Little Bittern is the species that can be
expected to be encountered in most instances. The Yellow Bittern, found through India,
China, and Southeast Asia, has only been recorded in Australia once, from Kalgoorlie,
Western Australia. in 1968. It has, however, been recently reported from Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea (Hansen, 1976). Problems occasionally arise in the identification of
specimens of the small bitterns and, if based solely on plumage, misidentification, even
of birds in the hand, can occur.

Many members of the fruit-dove genus Ptilinopus, of which there are 47 species
(Goodwin 1967), have an emarginated outer primary, while in others the tip of the
primary tapers to a point (Figure 1). The shape of this primary has been used as a
taxonomic character in subdividing the genus.