The Black-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus melanotis) is a striking emerald-green bowerbird found in the rainforests of New Guinea and northern Queensland, Australia. It is named for its distinctive black ear patch and its vocalizations, which sound remarkably like a cat’s wailing or yowling. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Key Characteristics

• Appearance: It has bright green upperparts, a thick ivory-colored bill with a hooked tip, and dark red eyes. Its underparts are typically pale green or olive with heavy scalloping or spotting.
• Behavior: Unlike most bowerbirds, catbirds do not build elaborate bowers to attract mates. They are monogamous and build simple cup-shaped nests.
• Diet: They primarily forage for fruit and large arthropods in the middle and upper stories of the rainforest canopy. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]