Bushes and Thickets

Bushes and low perches (11.3%).

These are convenient observation points for birds which:-

1. Fly out, catch insects, return to same perch (5.6%).

OW. region - Treeswifts (4 species) found only in the Indo-Malaysian region where they can be seen perched in tall trees waiting to catch insects which pass by. Nest on very thin branches to avoid snakes.

OW. region - Flycatchers, Drongo. Puffbirds, Todies.
NW. region - Tyrant Flycatchers, Phoebes, Peewees, Kingbirds, Kiskadee.

2. Flushing feeders (1.4%).

OW region - Monarchs, Fantails.

3. Fly down, snatch insects from ground, return to perch (1.6%).

Australasia - Robins and Chats.
Open grassland and woodland - Rollers.
Grassland pluckers – Accentors, Dunnock.

4. Fly down, take small mammal from ground, impale on spike (2.7%).

  • Butcherbird, Shrike, Helmet and Bush shrike, Vanga, Cuckooshrike, Shriketit, Whistlers, Shrike-thrush, Motmots.

Dense thickets, undergrowth and ground litter (11.2%).

1. Low, tangled undergrowth (7.0%).

The popular birding area Higbee, Cape May typifies this habitat. A similar habitat at South Pardre Island was also popular with these birds. American Bushtits move in groups (like Babblers) through this habitat in North and Central America.

  • Thrashers and Catbirds in the Americas. Australasian Wrens, Wrens and Gnatcatchers. Australasian Babblers, Babblers. Ovenbirds (247). Fairy-wrens in Australia favour low, dense vegetation which yield insects and provides cover for nest sites and general security.
  • Juncos are medium sized birds which forage on the ground and are so tame that they will often walk over the observers’ feet whilst searching for invertebrates, seeds and berries. Towhees are the largest members of this group. They practice double-scratch foraging to reveal and catch insects and seeds in the ground litter.

2. Forest leaf litter (4.2%).

  • Gnateaters, Tapulcos, Antthrushes, Antpittas, Ovenbird Furnariidae, Scrub-birds, Whipbirds, Quail-thrush, Bald crow, Bowerbirds, Pittas, Antbirds, Logrunners, Lyrebirds, Scrub-birds, Bristlebird, Ground rollers, Wattled Crows, Waterthrush.
  • Gnateaters (8) are birds of the forest floor and understory of foests in Cntral and South America. They take insects, larvae etc from the forest floor or from branches and foliage.
  • Antbirds, found in the rain forests of South America, search the understorey for anthropods.
  • Pittas, found in Australasian forests, search the forest floor sweeping the leaves aside, to feed on worms, snails and invertebrates.
  • Logrunners, in Australia, are almost buried in the leaf litter as they search for worms and other items.