Photo: andy nunn / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-eared Catbird
Ailuroedus melanotis
Black-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus melanotis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus melanotis) is a member of the Ptilonorhynchidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 177 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Ptilonorhynchidae Bowerbirds
- Genus Ailuroedus
- Species melanotis
Where it lives
Aru Is. (southwest of New Guinea), New Guinea and northeastern Australia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 177 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Ptilonorhynchidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-eared Catbird is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-eared Catbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus melanotis) is a species of bird in the Ptilonorhynchidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea), New Guinea and ne Australia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 177 g, with a wing length of about 16 cm and a tail of around 11.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 167,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-eared Catbird?
The Black-eared Catbird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 177 g.
Where does the Black-eared Catbird live?
The Black-eared Catbird is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea), New Guinea and ne Australia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-eared Catbird belong to?
The Black-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus melanotis) belongs to the Ptilonorhynchidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-eared Catbird eat?
The Black-eared Catbird is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Black-eared Catbird migrate?
The Black-eared Catbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-eared Catbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-eared Catbird make?
1 real field recording of the Black-eared Catbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-eared Catbird's range?
The Black-eared Catbird has a mapped global range of about 167,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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