The Rufous-scrub Bird surveys take volunteers deep into the rainforests of New South Wales and southern Queensland. Photo: Jeff Wong

The day begins at the crack of dawn for the volunteer bird watchers at Barrington Tops National Park.

At 7 am, after a night’s camping in the crisp mountain air, the hobby ornithologists get a first acoustic introduction to the elusive Rufous Scrub-bird. Project manager Peter Ekert plays recordings of the birds’ call to help the volunteers adjust their ears before they set out to listen to the real thing in the dense understorey along the creeks.

Chances to ever catch a glimpse of their target in the dense rainforest undergrowth are slim, but the call of the bird is unmistakable.

“We do the surveys during the nesting season when the male birds call regularly. They occupy territories of about 300 to 400 meters in diameter, and often you hear the same bird from year to year”, says Philip Brook who has participated in the annual survey since 1999.

Pricking the ears

“Along with the species’ distinct call, you can hear Rufous Scrub-birds mimic about half a dozen other birds. But because they live in remote patches of rainforest, you don’t get the car alarms that you can hear from lyrebirds who live closer to civilisation,” Philip Brook explains.

The weather can be unpredictable, but for the volunteers like Colleen and Ross a rainy day provides ideal conditions for Rufous Scrub-bird eaves-dropping. Photo: Jeff Wong

A keen camper and bushwalker he enjoys the days out in the rainforest and has even been rewarded twice with an eye to eye encounter with Rufous Scrub-birds.

In Lamington National Park volunteer Jeff Wong was not so lucky as to spot the target but he didn’t enjoy the survey any less for it.

“I am having lots of fun”, he wrote in an e-mail to the Foundation. “It is good to be out here and doing something meaningful. The bushwalking is great, and I'm learning a lot about birds with lots more to learn still. It is helping me to appreciate my bushwalks even more!”

After the weekend survey at Lamington Jeff followed the bird watchers to Werrikimbe National Park to continue the survey in NSW.

Record numbers at Border Ranges

While individual sightings are a matter of luck, the recent Rufous Scrub-bird surveys in Border Ranges National Park yielded a record number for the threatened bird species.

The team recorded 28 birds – the highest number of Rufous Scrub-birds in the Border Ranges since the beginning of this monitoring program in 1999.

The survey data on where the birds live, how the populations’ range and size are changing is essential for any future recovery action.

Philip Brook (left) and Joost Werz have participated in the surveys since the very first year and at least Philip Brooks was lucky enough to see the birds on these trips. Photo: Ekerlogic

Inconspicuous but a true living fossil

The Rufous Scrub-bird deserves protection as a living fossil. Along with the Lyrebird it is one of Australia’s primitive and relict species, which are similar to fossils from Gondwana, and it is one of the true songbirds that evolved 97 to 65 million years ago.

The birds are listed among the World Heritage values of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves (CERRA) of which Border Ranges National Park is a vital part.

The Foundation sponsored the survey with $12,113. Part of these funds went towards training the volunteers n identification of the Rufous Scrub Birds and survey methodology.

Everybody can help

While the latest survey detected a number of new individual birds, future monitoring is necessary to determine if these birds established permanent territories.

For those who wanted to help but did not fancy camping out in the wilds, a donation to support future surveys is a great way to help the birds.

To make a donation contact the

Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife, GPO Box 2666, SYDNEY NSW 2001
T: 02 9221 1949, or email us