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20

Golden Whistler

(Pachycephala pectoralis)
Alternate name(s): "Golden-breasted Whistler", "Yellow-breasted Whistler", "Golden-breasted Thickhead", "Yellow-breasted Thickhead", "Thunderbird*", "Cutthroat", "Coachwhip-bird*"
Aboriginal name(s): Race "pectoralis": "wiraynggun" [ngadjon]

Size: 16-18 cm
Weight: 25-35 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 Golden Whistler at Wikipedia .

Click here for classification information

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "pectoralis"

ADULT

MALE

Close-up frontal portrait of a male Golden Whistler drying its plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2017]

Close-up frontal view of a male Golden Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Mareeba Wetlands, QLD, December 2020]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, September 2023]

Near-frontal view of a male Golden Whistler looking towards the observer
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, April 2012]

Near-lateral view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Lake Barrine, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, October 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Golden Whistler
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, October 2008]

Close-up lateral view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, September 2023]

Lateral view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

Lateral view of a singing male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, October 2015]

Lateral view of a male Golden Whistler hiding in a Callistemon tree while drying its plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2017]

Lateral view of a male Golden Whistler

Near-dorsal view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, September 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a preening male Golden Whistler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2017]

Dorsal view of a male Golden Whistler hiding in a Callistemon tree while drying its plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2017]

Lateral/ventral view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, May 2019]

Male Golden Whistler (in bad light) launching itself from its perch

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Golden Whistler
[Porcupine Reserve, Gunnedah, NSW, August 2011]

Frontal view of a female Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, May 2018]

Near-frontal view of a female Golden Whistler; note how much darker this bird appears compared to others shown on this page
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, August 2008]

Close-up lateral view of a female Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, January 2021]

Close-up lateral view of a female Golden Whistler
[Limeburners Creek NP, NSW, October 2013]

Lateral view of a female Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, May 2020]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a female Golden Whistler
[Limeburners Creek NP, NSW, October 2013]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a female Golden Whistler, showing the characteristic pale yellow undertail coverts
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Dorsal view of a female Golden Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, September 2023]

Dorsal view of a female Golden Whistler
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, August 2013]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Young male Golden Whistler moulting into its adult plumage; the first yellow feathers have just developed
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2009]

Frontal view of what is likely a young female Golden Whistler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2011]

The same female Golden Whistler as above, now seen from underneath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2011]

Lateral view of a juvenile Golden Whistler; this view shows all the characteristic features, namely the typical bill of a whistler, the absence of striation on the bird's front and the brown lining of the secondaries, which is characteristic of immature Golden Whistlers
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2017]

Near-dorsal view of an immature Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, May 2019]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Golden Whistler; this view shows the brown lining of the secondaries, which is characteristic of immature Golden Whistlers
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, June 2012]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Golden Whistler; note the pale bill
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2017]

Race "youngi"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road, Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2015]

Near-frontal view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2017]

Near-lateral view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road, Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2015]

Lateral view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road, Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2015]

Lateral view of a singing male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2017]

Ventral view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road, Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2015]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road, Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2015]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road, Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2015]

Lateral view of a juvenile Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road, Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2015]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road, Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2015]

Race "fuliginosa"

ADULT

MALE

Lateral portrait of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Bronzewing State Forest, near Patchewollock, VIC, October 2019]

Lateral view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Pinnaroo Road, SA, September 2018]

Lateral view of a male Golden Whistler issuing its call (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Pinnaroo Road, SA, September 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal portrait of a female Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Bronzewing State Forest, near Patchewollock, VIC, October 2019]

Near-lateral portrait of a female Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Bronzewing State Forest, near Patchewollock, VIC, October 2019]

Race "contempta"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lord Howe Island, November 2014]

Dorsal view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lord Howe Island, November 2014]

FEMALE

Near-dorsal view of a female Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lord Howe Island, November 2014]

Race "glaucura"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]

Near-frontal view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. Helens, TAS, September 2021]

FEMALE

Near-frontal view of a female Golden Whistler taking a bath (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Near-lateral view of a female Golden Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, Kingston, TAS, March 2016]

Near-lateral view of a female Golden Whistler taking a bath (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Lateral view of a female Golden Whistler taking a bath (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a female Golden Whistler taking a bath (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Jan Eggs: 2 Incubation period: 14 - 17 days Fledging age: ?

The breeding season of Golden Whistlers depends on geographical latitude. The period listed in the table above refers to the southern part of the continent. In the tropical North, they can breed almost any time of the year, with the possible exception of a short period around May-June.

Nest building: Female & male Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

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

Type: Basket Material: Twigs, root fibres, grass stems, dry leaves, dry ferns, webs Height above ground: 0.5 - 6 m

Golden Whistler nests are often quite flimsy affairs that are very loosely woven and therefore partly translucent. Golden Whistlers are known to use an unusual variety of materials compared to other species.

Female Golden Whistler, race "youngi", departing, while the male is bringing a new delivery to the nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Wild Dog Creek Track, Mount Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2016]

Male Golden Whistler on the edge of its nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Wild Dog Creek Track, Mount Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2016]

Here the male Golden Whistler is seen sitting on its nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Wild Dog Creek Track, Mount Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2016]

Male Golden Whistler feeding the chicks (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Wild Dog Creek Track, Mount Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2016]

Female Golden Whistler feeding the chicks (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Wild Dog Creek Track, Mount Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2016]

A close-up doral few of the feeding female Golden Whistler shows that its secondaries still have rufous tints, suggesting that this is a first-year bird that is still moulting into its adult plumage (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Wild Dog Creek Track, Mount Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2016]

Eggs

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

Size: 23 x 17 mm Colour: Creamy, with mid- to dark-brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Partly migratory Elementary unit: Pair

The male in the photos below was seen/heard calling his lady, using a call that was entirely different from anything we have heard whistlers use before.

Male Golden Whistler calling a female
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2012]

Here both male and female Golden Whistler on the point of takeoff
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2012]

Food, Diet

Like all other members of the Pachycephala family known to us, Golden Whistlers forage through trees for insects.

Lateral view of a male Golden Whistler with its prey, an insect (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2017]

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.

goldwhs_20200525_3.m4a pectoralis
(NW NSW)
Contact calls (male) © MD
goldwhs_20200525.m4a pectoralis
(NW NSW)
Contact calls (male) + 1 territorial call © MD
goldwhs_20200525_2.m4a pectoralis
(NW NSW)
Territorial calls (male) © MD
goldwhs_20170810.m4a pectoralis
(NW NSW)
Territorial call (male) © MD
goldwhs_20170810_2.m4a pectoralis
(NW NSW)
Territorial call (male) © MD
goldwhs_20181024.m4a pectoralis
(NW NSW)
Territorial calls (males; Q&A) © MD
goldwhs_me_20200927.m4a pectoralis
(N QLD)
Territorial calls (competing males) © ME
goldwhs_art_20131125.m4a pectoralis
(SE QLD)
Pair Q&A © ART
goldwhs_20190906.m4a pectoralis
(NW NSW)
"Babbling" while resting (male); "whispering calls" © MD
goldwhs_20170530.m4a pectoralis
(NW NSW)
Immature foraging © MD
goldwhs_20200529.m4a pectoralis
(NW NSW)
? © MD
goldwhs_20140419.mp3 pectoralis
(NW NSW)
? (Immature) © MD
goldwhs_20140419_2.mp3 pectoralis
(NW NSW)
? (Immature) © MD

More Golden Whistler 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.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.