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Olive Whistler (Pachycephala olivacea) Alternate name(s): "Olivaceous Whistler", "Olive Thickhead"; misnomer: "Native Thrush" Size: 20-22 cm Body mass: 35-45 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 Olive Whistlers are large whistlers. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are slightly different. There are small colour differences between the various races. Male Olive Whistlers have a dark-grey head down to the level of the lower mandible of the bill. The throat is whitish, with grey barring, below which there is a grey breast band and a buff-brown belly, vent and undertail coverts. The back is grey-brown with an olive tinge. The flight feathers are more dark-grey. Female Olive Whistlers have no barring on their throat and a more brownish head. Juveniles are more rufous-brown than adults and have a brownish bill.

Taxonomy, classification See Olive 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 Olive Whistler is available HERE . Olive Whistlers are endemic to Australia. They are found only in the south-eastern corner of the Australian continent and in Tasmania. The range of nominate race "olivacea" extends from just to the North of Melbourne, VIC, eastward through the ranges and to the South-East coast, up to Woollongong, NSW. Further North they are found only in the Great Dividing Range, up to about Watagans NP, NSW. The western boundary of their range is near Canberra, ACT. Further North in the Great Dividing Range, from Barrington Tops NP in NSW to the NSW/QLD border, race "macphersoniana" is found. Race "bathychroa" populates only two small areas on the VIC coast, near Wilson's Promontory and around Cape Otway. Race "apatetes" occurs in Tasmania and the smaller islands along Bass Strait. Race "hesperus" is present along the coast either side of the VIC/SA border, from about Portland, VIC, to Carpenter Rocks, SA. Olive Whistlers have a preference for tall, wet forest, but are also found in alpine heath.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "olivacea" R. Plumtree reports spotting an Olive Whistler, race "olivacea", by the side of Doctors Flat Road, Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, in May 2014. The species was seen in the same area in March 2017 and another at Mt. Nunniong, VIC, in November 2017. The next sighting followed in Great Otway NP, VIC, in May 2019. Race "apatetes" M. Eaton reports finding Olive Whistlers, race "apatetes", along the Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, in April 2021.

Photos

Race "olivacea"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Olive Whistler issuing its call (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Plain Creek, Nunniong Plains, Mt. Nunniong, VIC, November 2017]

Near-frontal view of a male Olive Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Plain Creek, Nunniong Plains, Mt. Nunniong, VIC, November 2017]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Olive Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Great Otway NP, VIC, May 2019]

Near-frontal view of a female Olive Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Great Otway NP, VIC, May 2019]

Near-lateral view of a female Olive Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay Doctors Flat Road, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2017]

Near-lateral view of a female Olive Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Great Otway NP, VIC, May 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Olive Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, May 2014]

Lateral view of a juvenile Olive Whistler, different posture (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, May 2014]

Race "apatetes"

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of a male Olive Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

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

FEMALE

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

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

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

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

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Solitary

Any seasonal movements are largely altitudinal, from higher elevations during the breeding season to lower-lying areas in winter.

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

Food, Diet

Near-lateral view of a female Olive Whistler scooping up water (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Elizabeth Track, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

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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