Rufous Whistler
Pachycephala rufiventris
The Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) is a common whistler found in 2 countries, weighing about 22 g. The rufous whistler is a species of whistler found in New Caledonia and Australia.
About the Rufous Whistler
The rufous whistler is a species of whistler found in New Caledonia and Australia. Predominantly a reddish-brown and grey bird, it makes up for its subdued plumage with its song-making ability. Like many other members of the Pachycephalidae, it has a variety of musical calls.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
What the Rufous Whistler sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Rufous Whistler can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Rufous Whistler?
- Rufous whistlers are large-headed and stocky. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Rufous Whistler?
- The Rufous Whistler is a small sized bird weighing about 22 g.
- Where can you see a Rufous Whistler?
- The Rufous Whistler occurs in 2 countries, including Australia and New Caledonia.
- What does a Rufous Whistler sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Rufous Whistler on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Rufous Whistler?
- The Rufous Whistler is most easily confused with the Australian Golden Whistler, the Grey Whistler and the Olive Whistler.
- Is the Rufous Whistler endangered?
- The Rufous Whistler is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Rufous Whistler for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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