# Help identifying an Aussie Bird **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 7, 2008, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467 "2008-09-07T09:10:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/1 "2008-09-07T09:10:47Z")
Hi folks, A friend has asked me for some help idenitfying a bird she has running around with her chooks (I haven’t seen it so I only have the info she gave me). I have just spent several hours on the internet with nothing even close to her description. Location: Central Murry region NSW (50 km from Vic border) She is on a farmlet on the outskirts of town. It is grey, grey beak, about size of crested pigeon, longish legs which are orange, it’s tail sticks straight up at 90 degrees without taper or flairing, can run like the billie-oh. She has seen it fly about 50m. Seems to enjoy hanging out with the chooks and while it was quite shy to start with is getting used to human presences. I’m going to try and get a hold of some bird books over the next couple of days but any help would be appreciated. MRW ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/2 "2008-09-07T09:38:16Z")
Sounds like a Brush Turkey. If it was further north could be an orange footed scrub fowl. ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/3 "2008-09-07T09:45:22Z")
Brush turkey is much bigger than a crested pigeon. What about the spotless crake? Fits the description, is well within its range, and crakes can run like the billie-oh. Love to know your final ID. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/4 "2008-09-07T10:43:52Z")
So this brush turkey is a runt 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/5 "2008-09-07T11:29:28Z")
Oh, didn’t think of that. :smack: OK, that’s two votes for runt brush turkey. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/6 "2008-09-07T11:35:30Z")
I think you are closer than I am. I misread the bit about a crested pigeon as this rogue bird being crested. ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/7 "2008-09-07T12:24:33Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > I think you are closer than I am. I misread the bit about a crested pigeon as this rogue bird being crested. I think I am closer too - I just thought your reply was very funny, so played along with it. I think the spotted crake is front running at this stage. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/8 "2008-09-07T12:31:46Z")
> [@lynne-42](#): > > I think I am closer too - I just thought your reply was very funny, so played along with it. I think the spotted crake is front running at this stage. You should be ashamed of that bad pun. ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/9 "2008-09-07T12:40:39Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > You should be ashamed of that bad pun. And even more ashamed that I didn’t realise it was a pun until you pointed it out. I look forward to **madrabbitwoman** rejoining the conversation and letting us know if we need to keep going or if the spotted crake has solved the mystery. I am in Melbourne and it is bedtime. Your profile didn’t tell me where you are. It says ‘travelling’. If you are in the same time zone, then: Good night. Sleep well. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/10 "2008-09-07T13:19:09Z")
Ok folks I’m printing off a picture of a spotted crake to show my friend. The only thing is that she was quite emphatic about it having a grey beak and _Porzana porzana_ (I love that name) seems to have a yellow one. We shall see. ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/11 "2008-09-07T13:28:05Z")
> [@madrabbitwoman](#): > > Ok folks > I’m printing off a picture of a spotted crake to show my friend. The only thing is that she was quite emphatic about it having a grey beak and _Porzana porzana_ (I love that name) seems to have a yellow one. We shall see. Got the book out again. My mistake - Spotless crake. _Porzana tabuensis._ According to Pizzey and Knight, _Porzana pusilla_ is Baillon’s crake, while _Porzana fluminea_ is the Australian spotted crake. All are possible in that region, but the grey beak and orange legs matches the spotless crake. Can’t see a _Porzana porzana_ Sorry about spotting up the spotless crake. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/12 "2008-09-08T10:31:41Z")
The Black tailed native hen is in the running. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/13 "2008-09-08T16:14:09Z")
We need **colibri** here. He can likely not only tell you what species but it’s sex and rough age. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/14 "2008-09-08T16:16:53Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > We need **colibri** here. He can likely not only tell you what species but it’s sex and rough age. Is this before or after the first date? ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/15 "2008-09-09T01:41:02Z")
Apparently there is a photo of mystery bird. I will see it tonight. Will try to snag a copy to post here. MRW ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/16 "2008-09-09T01:44:41Z")
> [@madrabbitwoman](#): > > It is grey, grey beak, about size of crested pigeon…can run like the billie-oh…Seems to enjoy hanging out with the chooks and while it was quite shy to start with is getting used to human presences. I could be a long way off here, but I’m going with “Nicole Kidman” for this one. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/17 "2008-09-10T10:19:09Z")
WE HAVE A WINNER! Black Tailed Native Hen. I am trying to organize a picture. MRW ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/18 "2008-09-10T10:23:32Z")
> [@madrabbitwoman](#): > > WE HAVE A WINNER! > Black Tailed Native Hen. > I am trying to organize a picture. > > MRW Thank you for letting us know. It certainly fits, and is also unusual around chooks. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifying-an-aussie-bird/462467/19 "2008-09-10T10:30:35Z")
Those brush turkeys are pretty good imitators- I wouldn’t be in the least surprised…