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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Ptilonorhynchidae
  4. ›
  5. Ailuroedus
  6. ›
  7. Green Catbird
Green Catbird
Photo · Richard Bowdler Sharpe

BirdUp · Species

Green Catbird

Ailuroedus crassirostris(Paykull, 1815)

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Ptilonorhynchidae
Genus
Ailuroedus

At a glance

The Green Catbird is a medium-sized bird, about 31–32 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
31–32 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Green Catbird look like?

The Green Catbird is a medium-sized bird, about 31–32 cm long and weighing 167–289 g.

The green catbird is a species of bowerbird found in subtropical forests along the east coast of Australia, from southeastern Queensland to southern New South Wales. It is named after its distinctive call which sounds like a cat meowing, although it has also been mistaken for a crying child. The green catbird resembles the spotted catbird, which is found in wet tropical rainforests of Far North Queensland.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
31–32 cm
Weight
167–289 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Green Catbird?

The Green Catbird is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

Auradyme · Mount Glorious QLD 4520, Australia

Call

Carl Ramirez · -26.776876, 152.878677

Call

Sockrosma · O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, O'Reilly, QLD, AU

Call

Tanya Zubakin · Toonumbar, AU-NS-KY, AU-NS, AU

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Green Catbird eat?

The Green Catbird feeds on fruit, seeds, foliage/herbs, terrestrial invertebrates and terrestrial vertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

3 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Green Catbird live in Australia?

The Green Catbird is endemic to Australia, recorded across 17 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingSouth-east QLD to south-east NSW (east Australia)

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Passage
  • Vagrant
  • Breeding
  • Non-breeding

7 regions recorded