Table 3 Birds ranked according to the number of people able to name them (total N = 13)
Scientific name | Kune name(s)a | Number of respondents | Recorded or potential interactionsb |
|---|---|---|---|
Magpie Goose | murnubbarr | 13 | Eggs and meat eaten (+) |
Australian Bustard | benok, walbburrungku | 13 | Meat eaten (+) |
Bush Stone-curlew | kurrubirla, kuwirluk | 13 | Loud calls heard at night |
Torresian Crow | wakwak | 13 | Totem, songline, loud calls |
Emu | wurrbbarn, ngurrurdu | 13 | Meat eaten (+) |
Barking Owl | ngokngok | 13 | Distinctive call heard at night |
Great Bowerbird | djuweh | 13 | Distinctive nest |
Australian White Ibis | karrarla, kalamorn | 13 | Meat eaten |
Blue-winged Kookaburra | korrokkorrow | 12 | Distinctive evening call |
Eastern Koel | djawok, duwoh | 12 | Distinctive seasonal call |
Brolga | ngal-kordow, kodorrko | 12 | Meat eaten |
Australian Pelican | mola, mula | 12 | Meat eaten (+) |
Brown Goshawk | karrkanj, malawirdiwirdi | 11 | Spreads bushfires, totem |
Black-necked Stork | kanjdji | 11 | Meat eaten, totem |
Peaceful Dove | koloddoddok | 11 | ?, common |
Rainbow Lorikeet | dedded | 11 | ?, common |
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo | ngarradj | 10 | Meat eaten |
Pheasant Coucal | bukbuk | 10 | Meat eaten |
Red Goshawk | karrkanj, marram | 10 | spreads bushfires, totem |
Bar-shouldered Dove | bokodjbokodj | 10 | Meat eaten |
Grey Teal | djilikuyibi | 9 | Meat eaten |
Red-tailed Black-cockatoo | ngarnarrngh, karnamarr | 9 | Meat eaten (+), eggs eaten |
Magpie-lark | marlibrlib, diladila | 9 | ?, common, distinctive call |
White-bellied Sea-eagle | mibbarr, makaka | 9 | ?, totem |
Australasian Darter | mandangarli, barrakbarrak | 8 | Distinctive behaviour, meat eaten |
Little Corella | ngalelek | 8 | Meat eaten (+) |
Helmeted Friarbird | kawolk | 8 | Meat eaten |
Tawny Frogmouth | kuluyhkuluy | 8 | Meat eaten |
Eastern Great Egret | komorlo | 7 | Meat eaten |
Black-faced Cuckooshrike | widjiwidjik, wirriwirriyak | 7 | Distinctive call |
Zebra Finch | djurrkurl, ninhninh | 7 | ? |
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin | djurrkurl, ninhninh | 7 | ? |
Rainbow Bee-eater | berrerhberrerh | 7 | Mythological link |
Great Cormorant | bonbon, barrakbarrak | 7 | Distinctive behaviour, meat eaten |
Masked Lapwing | berrebberreb | 7 | Aggressive, distinctive call |
Little Kingfisher | djirrirdirdi | 6 | Distinctive behaviour |
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike | widjiwidjik, wirriwirriyak | 6 | Distinctive call |
Cicadabird | widjiwidjik, wirriwirriyak | 6 | Distinctive call |
Brown Quail | djirribbidj, djirbbidj | 6 | Meat eaten (+) |
Plumed Whistling-Duck | djirribiyuk, djulukuyibi | 6 | Meat eaten |
Green Pygmy-goose | diwidj | 6 | Meat eaten (+) |
Rufous Owl | ngokngok | 6 | Distinctive call at night |
Royal Spoonbill | murluimurlui, mulunjmulunj, bunberl | 6 | Meat eaten |
Sacred Kingfisher | djirrirdirdi | 6 | Distinctive behaviour |
Southern Boobook | ngokngok | 6 | Distinctive call at night |
Wedge-tailed Eagle | biyangdungkah | 6 | ?, large size |
Galah | wirlihwirlih | 5 | ? |
Glossy Ibis | birndu | 5 | ? |
White-necked Heron | kawarrkkawarrkken, kondo, karladjarr | 5 | Meat eaten |
Black-shouldered Kite | mibbarr | 4 | ? |
King Quail | djirrirddih, djirribbidj | 4 | Meat eaten |
Partridge Pigeon | dabbarr, rakul | 4 | Meat eaten (+) |
Radjah Shelduck | karrkarala | 4 | Meat eaten (+) |
White-browed Crake | djinarrarr, djinarradjinarra | 3 | ? |
Azure Kingfisher | djirrirddirddih | 3 | Distinctive behaviour |
Pied Imperial Pigeon | rumuh, marlun | 3 | ? possibly eaten |
Black Bittern | kondoh, durukmud | 3 | ? |
Orange-footed Scrubfowl | ngal-kodjdjorrmi | 3 | Meat eaten |
Nankeen Night-heron | kalkorowk | 3 | Meat eaten (+) |
Red-browed Pardalote | djurdudjurdumun | 3 | ? |
Rufous Fantail | djikkiridjdjikkiridj | 3 | Distinctive behaviour |
Grey Fantail | djikkiridjdjikkiridj | 3 | Distinctive behaviour |
Spotted Nightjar | lablab | 3 | Distinctive call |
Pacific Black Duck | ngarnkul, dedjkorrk | 2 | Meat eaten |
Red-winged Parrot | djadberlhberl, weley | 2 | ? |
Striated Heron | kulu, durukmud | 2 | Meat eaten |
Large-tailed Nightjar | lablab | 2 | Distinctive call at night |
Rufous-throated Honeyeater | birnhbirndok, djurdudjurdumun | 2 | ? |
Blue-faced Honeyeater | yahyih, rolongadji, birdibarlmard | 2 | ? |
Gouldian Finch | djurrkurl, ninhninh | 2 | ? |
Diamond Dove | korlodohdoh | 2 | ? |
Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeon | borrobborro, dodoro | 2 | Meat eaten (+) |
Northern Rosella | ?djikkilirridj, djikkelerinj | 2 | ? |
Hooded Parrot | djikkilirridj, djadberlhberl | 2 | ? |
Pied Butcherbird | warrhdjird, kobbirdidj | 2 | Distinctive call |
Fork-tailed Swift | yerrelh | 1 | ? |
Great-billed Heron | kulu | 1 | Meat eaten |
White-breasted Woodswallow | djerdedjerd | 1 | ? |
Pacific Baza | malawirdiwirdi | 1 | ? |
Pallid Cuckoo | djirungh | 1 | Distinctive call |
Great Knot | buluwirdwird | 1 | ? |
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper | buluwirdwird | 1 | ? |
Emerald Dove | dodoro | 1 | ? possibly eaten |
Silver Gull | djirrimirla | 1 | ? |
Black-tailed Treecreeper | madjirnhmadjirnh | 1 | Distinctive behaviour |
Oriental Cuckoo | djirungdjirung | 1 | Distinctive call |
Black Butcherbird | warrhdjird | 1 | Distinctive call |
White-faced Heron | kawarrkawarrken | 1 | Meat eaten |
Pied Heron | mungkulmungkul | 1 | Meat eaten |
Dollarbird | rdewrdew | 1 | Distinctive call |
Brahminy Kite | djurddjurd | 1 | Totem |
Comb-crested Jacana | kodabbirl, djinarrarrdjinarrarr | 1 | Distinctive behaviour |
Square-tailed Kite | malawirdiwirdi | 1 | ? |
Crested Pigeon | wirrirwirrir | 1 | ? common |
Green Oriole | kodkangardidjbun | 1 | Distinctive call |
Mangrove Golden Whistler | nyuridj | 1 | ? |
Varied Lorikeet | djurrih | 1 | ? |
Banded Fruit-dove | lumbuk | 1 | Meat eaten |
Red-backed Button-quail | merhmerh | 1 | ? possibly eaten |
Masked Owl | yerinj | 1 | ? |
Eastern Grass Owl | yerinj | 1 | ? |