Arrives in northern Australia each summer from New Guinea; its broad, silvery underwings flash in flight.
Not listed
Indigenous: Rdewrdewh, Dhanibanban, A-Dewhrdew, Dirriwudirriwu, Diw'tiw, Dewhdew, Diwdiw, Deyawdeyawh, Dollarbird
At a glance
FamilyRollers
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatOpen forest and woodland near clearings, farmland, and wooded urban areas, usually with prominent exposed perches.
Best timeMost reliable in New South Wales from October to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Lim Ying Hien 林勇贤
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
135192approx records
5states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
In flight has a characteristic white circle, or ‘dollar’, on each underwing. Juvenile lacks red bill. May resemble mynas in flight, but note longer wings, larger head, and more powerful, less frantic flight.
Behavior
Nests in cavities; typically tree hollows. Frequently perches on power-lines or in the tops of tall dead trees.
Gallery
Regional timing
Western Australia
New South Wales
Queensland
Northern Territory
Victoria
Australian Capital Territory
South Australia
Tasmania