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17

White-throated Gerygone

(Gerygone olivacea)
Alternate name(s): "White-throated Warbler", "White-throated Flyeater";
misnomers: "Bush Canary", "Native Canary*"

Size: 10-11 cm
Weight: 5-8 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See White-throated Gerygone at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "olivacea"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Frontal view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Frontal/ventral view of a White-throated Gerygone scanning a eucalypt tree for insects
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2013]

Near-frontal view of a White-throated Gerygone
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

Near-frontal view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Near-lateral view of a White-throated Gerygone looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roma Bush Gardens, Roma, QLD, August 2022]

Near-lateral view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Scrub Lane, Samsonvale, QLD, May 2020]

Near-lateral view of a White-throated Gerygone searching for insects (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Nally's Creek, Ensay Doctors Flat Road, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2018]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Lateral view of a White-throated Gerygone
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Lateral view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Scrub Lane, Samsonvale, QLD, May 2020]

Lateral view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Scrub Lane, Samsonvale, QLD, May 2020]

Lateral view of a White-throated Gerygone
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

Close-up lateral/ventral view of a White-throated Gerygone
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

Lateral view of a White-throated Gerygone looking for prey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Lateral/ventral view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roma Bush Gardens, Roma, QLD, August 2022]

Dorsal view of a White-throated Gerygone
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

Ventral view of a White-throated Gerygone
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2013]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile White-throated Gerygone - note the absence of a white throat; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 19/20 January 2015
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2015]

Race "rogersi"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lorrngorl Camp, Giwining/Flora River Nature Reserve, NT, September 2020]

Lateral view of a White-throated Gerygone (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Pine Creek, NT, July 2014]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Jan Eggs: 2 - 3 Incubation period: ca. 12 days Fledging age: ca. 14 - 16 days

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Domed hanging bottle Material: Bark strips or reeds, webs Height above ground: 3 - 15 m

The nest shown below was found close to a creek lined by reeds, old strands of which were then used for construction. The nest, although suspended from only one point, looked very solid and stable.

Nest of a pair of White-throated Gerygones; note the difference in materials used for this nest compared to others on the eastern coastal fringe (shown below)
[Pilliga NR, NSW, December 2011]

Here the female White-throated Gerygone is "at home", peeking out of the nest
[Pilliga NR, NSW, December 2011]

In this photo one can see most clearly the typical markings of a White-throated Gerygone; next to the white throat, the white forehead spots and some yellow on the bird's breast are visible
[Pilliga NR, NSW, December 2011]

Two White-throated Gerygone chicks peeking out of their nest, waiting to be fed (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, December 2013]

White-throated Gerygone feeding its chicks in their nest (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, December 2013]

White-throated Gerygone nest in an ornamental plant right next to the entrance door to a house (photo courtesy of N. Smith)
[Near Tamworth, NSW, November 2016]

White-throated Gerygone peeking out of its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, August 2017]

One of the owners of the White-throated Gerygone nest shown above (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, August 2017]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size:18 x 13 mm Colour: Creamy, with mid-brown specks Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Migratory Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Food, Diet

White-throated Gerygones forage through the foliage of trees for small insects.

White-throated Gerygone with its prey, a spider (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

wthgery_20200919.m4a olivacea
(NW NSW)
Contact call © MD
wthgery_me_20211016.m4a olivacea
(SE QLD)
Contact call © ME
wthgery_20151201.m4a olivacea
(NW NSW)
Contact call + abbreviated call © MD
wthgery_20141107.m4a olivacea
(NW NSW)
Contact call © MD
wthgery_20151204.mp3 olivacea
(W NSW)
Contact calls (long sequence) © MD
 
wthgery_20140820.m4a rogersi
(Darwin, NT)
Contact call © MD
wthgery_20140820_2.m4a rogersi
(Darwin, NT)
Contact call © MD
wthgery_20140820_3.m4a rogersi
(Darwin, NT)
(Extended) contact call © MD

More White-throated Gerygone sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.