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Grey Whistler (Pachycephala simplex) Alternate name(s): "Grey-headed Whistler", "Brown Whistler" Size: 14-15 cm Body mass: 15-20 g

Australia: Family Group 20 Family Group 20 Table Eastern Whipbird Chirruping Wedgebill Chiming Wedgebill Spotted Quail-thrush Cinnamon Quail-thrush Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush Varied Sittella Crested Bellbird Eastern (Crested) Shrike-tit Northern (Crested) Shrike-tit Grey Whistler Olive Whistler Golden Whistler Western Whistler Mangrove Golden Whistler White-breasted Whistler Rufous Whistler Gilbert's Whistler Rufous Shrike-thrush Arafura Shrike-thrush (Little Shrike-thrush) Bower's Shrike-thrush Sandstone Shrike-thrush Grey Shrike-thrush Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Grey Whistlers are small whistlers. They have a light-grey front, from throat to undertail coverts, and a more brownish-grey head and back. The eyes have brown irises. The stout bill is black, while the legs and feet are grey. Juvenile Grey Whistlers have more rufous tints than adults, especially on the wings, and a more brownish bill. Twitcher's tip Grey Whistlers are the only Australian Pachycephala whistlers that do not have a dimorphic plumage - males and females look alike.

Taxonomy, classification See Grey Whistler at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Grey Whistler is available HERE . Grey Whistlers are found in West Papua (eastern Indonesia), New Guinea and northern Australia. In Australia there are two races of Grey Whistlers, both of which are endemic. Nominate race "simplex" lives along the coastline of the Top End of the NT, from about Litchfield NP to Arnhemland, and on several offshore islands. Race "peninsulae" is found along the coastline of the tip of Cape York peninsula, QLD, and southward along the QLD East coast to about Townsville, QLD. Both races have a preference for mangrove. Race "simplex" is also found in wet forest, race "peninsulae" in coastal rainforest.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "simplex" B. Hensen reports spotting Grey Whistlers, race "simplex", occasionally in and around, Darwin, NT. We first spotted Grey Whistlers, race "simplex", in various locations in and around Darwin, NT, in August 2014. Since then the species is found semi-regularly in the same area by various contributors. Race "peninsulae" B. Hensen spotted Grey Whistlers, race "peninsulae", at Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, in July 2013, and at Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, in December 2018. M. Eaton found Grey Whistlers, race "peninsulae", at Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, in June 2024.

Photos

Race "simplex"

This race is also called the "Brown Whistler". Note how, possibly depending on light conditions, birds of this race can look entirely grey, rather than brownish.

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Frontal/ventral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, September 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Grey Whistler with some fluid stuck to its bill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, January 2020]

Near-frontal view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, May 2018]

Near-lateral view of a ringed and banded Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Lateral view of a ringed and banded Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler; this is one of the birds whose calls were recorded on 27 March 2020
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2020]

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, September 2018]

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Point, Darwin, NT, February 2018]

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Point, Darwin, NT, February 2018]

In this view of a Grey Whistler one can see that they have all-round vision (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Point, Darwin, NT, February 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, October 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, September 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Grey Whistler; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 7 February 2020
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, January 2020]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, May 2018]

Dorsal view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Point, Darwin, NT, February 2018]

Dorsal view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, May 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Grey Whistler; note the rufous feathers on the neck (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, November 2018]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Grey Whistler with a droplet of liquid stuck to its bill; now the rufous on neck and wings is prominently visible (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, November 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Grey Whistler; note the rufous wing feathers and the brownish bill (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2014]

Lateral view of a juvenile Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Race "peninsulae"

This race is called the "Grey Whistler".

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Grey Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Julatten, QLD, July 2013]

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, June 2024]

Near-dorsal view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, June 2024]

Near-dorsal view of a Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Grey Whistler (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, July 2013]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler harvesting a spider's web (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Like its cousin, the White-breasted Whistler, the Grey Whistler is also often seen in mangroves, in this case having a bath (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

Food, Diet

Frontal view of a Grey Whistler with its prey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, June 2024]

Lateral view of a Grey Whistler with its prey (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, July 2013]

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.

greywhs_pb_20200327.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls (male)	© PB
greywhs_pb_20180914_1.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Territorial call (male)	© PB
greywhs_pb_20180914_4.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Territorial call (male)	© PB
greywhs_20140817.m4a	simplex (Top End, NT)	Territorial call (male)	© MD
greywhs_pb_20190209.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls	© PB
greywhs_pb_20200222.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls	© PB
greywhs_pb_20200614_2.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls (Q&A)	© PB
greywhs_pb_20200614_3.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls (Q&A)	© PB
greywhs_pb_20180914_5.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls (Q&A)	© PB
greywhs_pb_20180126.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls (Q&A)	© PB
greywhs_pb_20200207.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	Various	© PB
greywhs_pb_20191023.m4a	simplex (Darwin, NT)	?	© PB
greywhs_me_20240614.m4a	peninsulae (Far-N QLD)	Territorial calls?	© ME

More Grey 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.

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