Bird Guide

Olive Whistler vs Rufous Whistler

Olive Whistler (Pachycephala olivacea)

Olive Whistler

Pachycephala olivacea

Small41 gShrubland

Adult birds are around 18–20 cm (7–8 in) long, and have an overall olive brown plumage with a streaked white throat. To an untrained eye, they can be mistaken for female golden whistlers. The male has a dark grey head, pale grey breast and red-tinged buff belly and rump. The female lacks the red tinge, and has brown underparts. The legs, bill and eyes of both sexes are a brown-black. The melodious call has been likened to I'll wet you or you're cranky, and is possibly the most musical of all whistlers.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Liam Sultana · CC BY 4.0
Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris)

Rufous Whistler

Pachycephala rufiventris

Small22 gForest

Rufous whistlers are large-headed and stocky. They have short beaks and long tails (almost as long as the rest of the bird) which are very narrow and have sharp, forked tips. The species is sexually dimorphic. While females are typically dull brown or grey with streaked underbodies, males have rufous underparts and predominantly dark-grey back and tail with white throats and (in most cases) a black mask that covers most of their head and some of their neck. These birds are between 16 and 18 centimetres (6.3 and 7.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Rufous Whistler
Recorded by James Ray · Song · Faulconbridge, Blue Mountains City Council, New South Wales, Australia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Martin Rady · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Olive Whistler and Rufous Whistler.