Apostlebird Apostlebird

1. Scruffy dark grey plumage with brownish wings and a long black tail

2. Always found in noisy, social groups on the ground

3. Both sexes look alike with a short, black bill

Apostlebirds are terrestrial foragers, feeding mainly on seeds and insects, but occasionally taking small vertebrates like mice during plagues. They are cooperative breeders, living in groups that can include up to 20 individuals, with a domit breeding pair and helpers from previous broods. The breeding season runs from August to January. Their nest is a large, mud-lined bowl built high in the fork of a tree. Females lay 3-5 eggs per clutch, and all group members help build the nest, incubate the eggs, and feed the chicks. Both parents and helpers share incubation duties, but the breeding pair and female helpers are more likely to incubate, while male helpers focus on feeding the young.

Apostlebirds are found across inland eastern Australia, from northern Victoria and eastern South Australia through New South Wales and central-western Queensland, with an isolated population in the Northern Territory. They prefer open dry woodlands, grasslands with scattered trees, and areas near water sources essential for their mud nests. They are often seen in farmlands, along roadsides, and around campsites.

Early European settlers named these birds "Apostlebirds," believing groups always contained exactly 12 birds like Jesus Christ's apostles. Their distinctive communal lifestyle places them in the unique Australian family Corcoracidae, known as 'mud-nesters' for their impressive mud bowl construction skills.