This species is a generally shy bird of rainforest edges, but it has a reputation for stealing eggs and chicks out of the nests of other birds. This is a rufous "morph." Both black and rufous morphs occur only in this race which ranges through a limited area of coastal rainforest south of Cairns. It is reported that only the immatures of the rufous morph are brown, but it is also reported that birds are able to breed in this plumage suggesting that the plumage may be held through adulthood. Whether the rufous morph is permanent or temporary needs clarification. There are those who question whether it is a morph at all, but actually just an immature plumage. DNA evidence suggests this species may be more closely related to the Australasian Magpie (genus Gymnorhina) than to typical butcherbirds.
Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5 | Nikon FieldScope III | 30XWA | hand-held (no adapter)