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Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) Alternate name(s): "Rufous-breasted Whistler", "Rufous-breasted Thickhead", "Ring Coachman", "Thunderbird*", "Echong", "Little Thrush" Aboriginal name(s): Race "rufiventris": "bambon" (WA) Size: 16-17.5 cm Body mass: 18-32 g

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Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Rufous Whistlers are medium-sized whistlers. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Rufous Whistlers have a large white throat patch surrounded by a broad black chest band that connects to the equally black eye stripes and lores. The rest of the front, plus the flanks, are rufous. The frons, crown and back are grey. The wing feathers are dark-grey, with lighter grey edge lining. The tail is also grey; the bill is black. Female Rufous Whistlers have a pale-rufous front, with a streaked, off-white throat patch and more streaking down the front. The amount of streaking is variable. The head and back are brownish-grey. The wing feathers are grey, with lighter grey edge lining. The tail is also grey. The back of females is in general lighter grey than in males. The bill is dark brownish-grey. Both sexes have eyes with red-brown irises. The legs and feet are dark-grey. Juveniles resemble females, but with a more rufous back and a more heavily streaked, lighter-coloured front. The bill is paler-brown. Immature males take 2-3 years to moult into adult plumage. Twitcher's tip Compared with White-breasted Whistlers, they have a much narrower black chest band and an otherwise much darker, rufous front.

Taxonomy, classification See Rufous 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 Rufous Whistler is available HERE . Rufous Whistlers were previously considered to be endemic to Australia. However, since Muscicapa xanthetraea has been grouped into this species as race "xanthetraea", there is also a population of Rufous Whistlers in New Caledonia. NB: Reports on ebird of birds submitted by birdwatchers from the Australian Outback tend to be clustered along roads and public areas such as camp grounds; in such cases their distribution is not a good representation of the overall distribution of the species. There are four races of Rufous Whistlers in Australia - for details see a field guide. Altogether their range extends over almost the entire Australian continent, including some of the most arid parts, but excluding Tasmania. Rufous Whistlers are not found in the Gibson Desert, WA, and only rarely venture into the Nullarbor, the major deserts of WA or the Lake Eyre Basin. They are also rarely found in a narrow coastal region from Melbourne, VIC, to the south-eastern tip of SA. Especially in the arid interior they are nomadic and partly migratory. Nominate race "rufiventris" is found basically throughout QLD, NSW and VIC, with small exceptions, such as Cape York peninsula, far-western QLD and the Lake Eyre Basin. Their range continues through the coastal fringe of SA, including Eyre peninsula, to the south-western part of WA. Farther North, from the edges of the Lake Eyre Basin westward, to the West Coast of WA, race "maudeae" (which is the arid-zone form of race "rufiventris") is found. Race "falcata" resides in the northern half of the NT and the Kimberley in WA. The range of race "minor" is restricted to islands off Darwin, NT, while race "pallida" is present only on Cape York peninsula and the area South of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Rufous Whistlers are mostly found in dry, open forest, often hunting from low perches, but also in mallee and in low scrub. They can also be found in other habitats with mixed vegetation, such as e.g. rural gardens.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "rufiventris" In the years 2004-2006 we saw Rufous Whistlers, race "rufiventris", regularly in Jack's Creek State Forest, 25 km South of Narrabri, NSW. Rufous Whistlers, race "rufiventris", are also seen and heard regularly in the area from Eulah Creek to Deriah Aboriginal Area, 20-30 km East of Narrabri in 2007-2009. They were then found in close proximity to their cousins, the Golden Whistler. They were also spotted in Leard State Forest, NSW, in November 2012. Rufous Whistlers, race "rufiventris", were also sighted by us on various trips to the East of the Great Dividing Range, in the area from Armidale to Dorrigo, NSW. Several contributors report seeing Rufous Whistlers, race "rufiventris", regularly in various locations in south-eastern QLD. R. Plumtree reports spotting Rufous Whistlers, race "rufiventris", regularly in the area of Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC. J. Greaves reports spotting a Rufous Whistler, race "rufiventris", in Coondanup, WA, in May 2015 and another in Balingup, WA, in May 2016. C. Pears reports finding a Rufous Whistler, race "rufiventris", only occasionally at Quindalup, WA. They are found on a daily basis at Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours spotted a Rufous Whistler, race "rufiventris", at Mareeba, QLD, in September 2020. Race "falcata" B. Hensen reports finding Rufous Whistlers, race "falcata", at Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, in July 2013. We first spotted Rufous Whistlers, race "falcata", at Umbrawarra Gorge NP, near Pine Creek, NT, and at Fogg Dam CR, NT, in August 2014. H. Mouritsen reports spotting Rufous Whistlers, race "falcata", in various locations in and around Darwin, NT, in October 2015. Other contributors also report sightings in the same area. P. Brown reports finding Rufous Whistlers, race "falcata", at Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, in April 2018, and at Keep River NP, NT, in November 2018. Others were found at the Flora River CR, Victoria Highway, NT, in March 2021. The species is also found semi-regularly in various locations in and around Darwin, NT. Race "maudeae" J. Greaves reports spotting a Rufous Whistler, race "maudeae", at the Granites Gold Mine, inland NT, in June 2015. M. Mearns reports spotting a Rufous Whistler, race "maudeae", at Lake Nuga Nuga, QLD, in April 2013. We also found a Rufous Whistler, race "maudeae", near Thargomindah, QLD, in June 2019.

Photos

Race "rufiventris"

ADULT

PAIR

Frontal view of a pair of Rufous Whistlers, male at upper left
[Pilliga NP, NSW, December 2022]

MALE

Frontal view of a male Rufous Whistler looking sideways
[Leard State Forest, NSW, November 2012]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Rufous Whistler looking towards the observer
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Rufous Whistler
[Pilliga NP, NSW, December 2022]

Near-frontal view of a male Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, September 2023]

Close-up near-lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler
[Leard State Forest, NSW, November 2012]

Near-lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler looking sideways
[Near Narrabri, NSW, April 2007]

Near-lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, September 2023]

Lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, April 2020]

Lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, September 2018]

Lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler, with a clear view of its back
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, 2006]

Lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler issuing its characteristic call (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Leard State Forest, NSW, November 2012]

Lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, September 2023]

Lateral/ventral view of a male Rufous Whistler
[Near Narrabri, NSW, March 2009]

Close-up dorsal view of a male Rufous Whistler looking sideways
[Pilliga NP, NSW, December 2022]

Dorsal view of a male Rufous Whistler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2019]

FEMALE

Close-up frontal view of a heavily streaked female Rufous Whistler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Frontal view of a female Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Pilliga West SCA, NSW, March 2021]

Frontal view of a resting female Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Oxley Common, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]

Frontal view of a female Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Pilliga West SCA, NSW, March 2021]

Near-frontal view of a female Rufous Whistler
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, September 2010]

Close-up near-lateral view of a female Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Mareeba, QLD, September 2020]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a female Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Emerald, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral view of a lightly streaked female Rufous Whistler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2013]

Lateral view of a female Rufous Whistler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]

Close-up lateral view of a heavily streaked female Rufous Whistler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Near-dorsal view of a female Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dundowran Beach, Hervey Bay, QLD, May 2018]

Dorsal view of a resting female Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Oxley Common, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]

Dorsal view of a female Rufous Whistler
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, September 2010]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a ragged-looking, moulting sub-adult male Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, December 2017]

Frontal view of a sub-adult male Rufous Whistler moulting into adult plumage looking sideways
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2026]

Lateral view of a juvenile male Rufous Whistler looking towards the observer; note how the bird is growing the first rufous feathers of its adult plumage
[Tiger Bay Wetlands, Warren, NSW, April 2017]

Frontal view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler issuing its call
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, March 2013]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler looking for prey
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2013]

Close-up near-frontal/ventral portrait of a juvenile Rufous Whistler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2020]

Close-up near-lateral view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler
[Pilliga NP, NSW, December 2022]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Lateral view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler
[December 2011]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler looking backwards (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, May 2018]

Male Rufous Whistler feeding a dependent young (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2017]

Frontal view of a fledgling Rufous Whistler with its prominent orange gape wide open (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2016]

Near-frontal view of a fledgling Rufous Whistler; note the stubby tail and yellow gape (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2014]

Close-up near-frontal portrait of a fledgling Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2014]

Dorsal view of a fledgling Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2016]

Race "falcata"

ADULT

MALE

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Rufous Whistler issuing its call (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle NP, Darwin, NT, April 2023]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a male Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]

Near-lateral view of a female Rufous Whistler
[Umbrawarra Gorge NP, NT, August 2014]

Near-lateral view of a female Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coomalie Creek, 90 km south of Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Lateral view of a female Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

Lateral view of a female Rufous Whistler looking away from the observer (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

Dorsal view of a female Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]

Frontal view of a female Rufous Whistler just after take-off (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Channel Island Road, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of an immature male Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lee Point Road, Darwin, NT, January 2020]

Near-frontal view of an immature male Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lee Point Road, Darwin, NT, January 2020]

Near-frontal view of an immature male Rufous Whistler issuing its call (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Flora River CR, Victoria Highway, NT, March 2021]

Frontal/ventral view of an immature male Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2013]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of an immature male Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coomalie Creek, 90 km south of Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Frontal view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coomalie Creek, 90 km south of Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird billabong, near the Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, May 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler looking sideways
[Umbrawarra Gorge NP, NT, August 2014]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Rufous Whistler looking sideways (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Race "maudeae"

This is the very pale morphology form of race "rufiventris" found in the arid zone of the Lake Eyre basin that many authorities do not list as a separate race.

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lake Nuga Nuga, QLD, April 2013]

FEMALE

Distant frontal view of a female Rufous Whistler (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[The Granites Gold Mine, inland NT, June 2015]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Feb

Eggs: 2 - 4

Incubation period: 14 - 15 days

Fledging age: ca. 14 days

Given the right conditions, Rufous Whistlers can breed any time of the year.

Nest

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

Type: Basket

Material: Twigs with finer lining

Height above ground: 1 - 8 m

Lateral view of a female Rufous Whistler on its semi-transparent nest
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, December 2007]

Rufous Whistlers can choose to nest very close to humans, within reaching distance.

Rufous Whistler nest with three chicks in an ornamental shrub on a neighbour's patio
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2011]

Here one can see the female feeding one of the chicks
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2011]

Close-up lateral view of a male Rufous Whistler bringing food for its chicks
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2011]

Near-frontal view of a female Rufous Whistler bringing a meal for one of its chicks - a grasshopper
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2011]

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: Stone-coloured, with brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Nomadic/migratory

Elementary unit: Pair

Male Rufous Whistlers compete against each other for territory and the favour of females by means of an elaborate display contest. They puff themselves up to impress their opponents, bob their bodies and chase each other through the bush.

Frontal view of a male Rufous Whistler, all puffed up, trying to impress a competing male
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, September 2008]

Typical hunting behaviour of a Rufous Whistler, in this case a juvenile - looking around for prey
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2014]

Food, Diet

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

Close-up lateral view of a female Rufous Whistler grappling with its prey (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Mareeba, QLD, September 2020]

Lateral view of an female Rufous Whistler with its prey, a spider (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Wagait Swamp, Cox Peninsula, NT, May 2021]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of an female Rufous Whistler with its prey, a spider (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Wagait Swamp, Cox Peninsula, NT, May 2021]

Lateral view of an immature male Rufous Whistler with its prey (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Flora River CR, Victoria Highway, NT, March 2021]

Juvenile Rufous Whistler with a psyllid (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Near Croydon, QLD, July 2016]

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.

rufwhis_me_20230915_2.mp3	rufiventris (SE QLD)	Contact calls & territorial calls (male)	© ME
rufwhis_20171101.m4a	rufiventris (NW NSW)	Territorial call (male)	© MD
rufwhis_me_20230915.mp3	rufiventris (SE QLD)	Territorial calls (male)	© ME
rufwhis_20161217.m4a	rufiventris (NW NSW)	Territorial calls (male) long sequence	© MD
rufwhis_20240907.m4a	rufiventris (NW NSW)	Territorial call (male) long trill	© MD
rufwhis_20140911.mp3	rufiventris (NW NSW)	Fighting (in-flight)	© MD
rufwhis_20141023.mp3	rufiventris (NW NSW)	Various (male)	© MD
rufwhis_20141023_9.mp3	rufiventris (NW NSW)	Various (male)	© MD
rufwhis_me_20220815.mp3	rufiventris (Ctl QLD)	Various (male)	© ME
rufwhis_20140331_3.mp3	rufiventris (NW NSW)	Various (sub-adult male)	© MD
rufwhis_20200307.m4a	rufiventris (NW NSW)	Various	© MD
rufwhis_pb_20201017.m4a	falcata (Top End, NT)	Contact calls	© PB
rufwhis_pb_20201020.m4a	falcata (Top End, NT)	Contact calls	© PB
rufwhis_pb_20201020_2.m4a	falcata (Top End, NT)	Contact calls	© PB
rufwhis_20140817.m4a	falcata (Top End, NT)	Territorial call (male)	© MD
rufwhis_pb_20220104.m4a	falcata (Top End, NT)	Various	© PB
rufwhis_20140818_2.m4a	falcata (Top End, NT)	Various	© MD
rufwhis_pb_20230419.mp3	falcata (Top End, NT)	Various	© PB
rufwhis_20140818.m4a	falcata (Top End, NT)	?	© MD

More Rufous 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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