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Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela) Alternate name(s): "Pied Caterpillar-eater", "White-eyebrowed Caterpillar-eater", "White-browed Triller" Size: 18-23 cm; wing span: 30-35 cm Body mass: 33-60 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.15-0.27

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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 Varied Trillers are small bushland and forest birds. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Varied Trillers have white eyebrows, black eye stripes, white throat patches and ear coverts, a grey chest and off-white belly. The undertail coverts are cinnamon to buff. The frons, crown, nape of the neck and mantle are black, while the rump is light-grey. The uppertail is dark-grey. The wings are black, with broad white shoulder bars and white edge lining on the flight feathers. Female Varied Trillers are much more inconspicuous than males. Although their plumage has roughly the same morphology, their colours are much duller. They have a grey-buff front, with some darker buff barring. The back and eye-stripes are dark grey-brown. The dark grey-brown wings have some white edge lining. The tail is dark-grey. The undertail coverts are cinnamon. Juvenile Varied Trillers have a scalloped back and a streaked front, without any barring and almost no rufous hues on vent/undertail.

Taxonomy, classification See Varied Triller 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 Varied Triller is available HERE . The range of the Varied Triller extends from West Papua (eastern Indonesia) to the most eastern islands of Papua New Guinea (but not the Solomon Islands) and southwards to Australia. There are four races of Varied Trillers in Australia, which populate the eastern and tropical north-eastern to northern (near-)coastal fringe of the continent. Nominate race "leucomela" is found from the Hunter River in NSW northwards, to about Cairns, QLD. Further North, and along the coast of Cape York peninsula, race "yorki" is found. Race "rufiventris" populates the Top End of the NT only. The range of race "macrura" extends along the North coast of WA, from about the Calder River in the West to the Drysdale River in the East. Varied Trillers have a preference for lowland rainforest and wet woodland.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "leucomela" B. Hensen reports spotting Varied Trillers, nominate race "leucomela", at Copeland, NSW, in February 2013. We first spotted race "leucomela" in coastal woodland at Broadwater NP, NSW, in May 2014. E. Scott reports finding Varied Trillers, race "leucomela", at Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, where they were nesting in December 2016. The species was spotted in the same area on other occasions. M. Eaton reports spotting Varied Trillers, nominate race "leucomela", semi-regularly in various locations along the coastal fringe of southern to central QLD. Another was found at Paluma Rainforest, near Townsville, QLD, in September 2020. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports finding Varied Trillers, race "leucomela", in and around Cairns, QLD, on various occasions. Race "rufiventris" Varied Trillers, race "rufiventris", were spotted by B. Hensen at Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, in July 2012 and at Holmes Jungle, Darwin, NT, in August 2013. We first spotted Varied Trillers, race "rufiventris", in various locations in and around Darwin, NT, in August 2014. P. Brown reports finding Varied Trillers, race "rufiventris", regularly in and around Darwin, NT. Race "yorki" B. Hensen reports spotting Varied Trillers, race "yorki", near Cairns, QLD, in July 2013. M. Eaton found Varied Trillers, race "yorki", in Julatten, QLD, in July 2018, and at Loyalty Beach, Cape York peninsula, QLD, in August 2019. Others were found at the Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, in August 2023, and at Atherton, QLD, in June 2024, respectively. G. Fallon reports finding Varied Trillers, race "yorki", breeding at Earlville, Cairns, QLD, in August/September 2025. Race "macrura" M. Eaton found Varied Trillers, race "macrura", at Little Mertens Falls, Mitchell River NP, WA, in June 2026.

Photos

Race "leucomela"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, July 2020]

Lateral view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, July 2020]

Lateral view of a male Varied Triller with a fruit (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Varied Triller; note the barring (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Toonumbar State Forest, northern NSW, May 2017]

Frontal/ventral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Redden Island, Machans Beach, Cairns, QLD, May 2020]

Near-lateral view of a female Varied Triller looking towards the observer
(photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Toonumbar State Forest, northern NSW, May 2017]

Near-lateral view of a female Varied Triller looking towards the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]

Near-lateral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Toonumbar State Forest, northern NSW, May 2017]

Lateral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Toonumbar State Forest, northern NSW, May 2017]

Lateral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Scrub Lane, Samsonvale, QLD, May 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Scrub Lane, Samsonvale, QLD, May 2020]

Race "rufiventris"

ADULT

MALE

Near-frontal view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2012]

Lateral view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, September 2018]

Close-up lateral/ventral view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, February 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, September 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, August 2013]

Frontal view of a wet female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, January 2019]

Frontal/ventral view of a female Varied Triller looking sideways
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Lateral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, August 2013]

Distant lateral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a female Varied Triller; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 26 June 2018
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Harrison Dam CR, near Humpty Doo, NT, May 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Dorsal/ventral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2019]

There is a separate page showing a female Varied Triller beating a caterpillar to pulp.

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

FEMALE

Frontal view of an immature Varied Triller, as indicated by the striation on the shoulders, moulting into adult plumage; the fact that this bird is developing a barred front indicates that it is a female (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Near Dripstone Cliffs, Darwin, NT, December 2017]

Frontal view of an immature Varied Triller, as indicated by the striation on the shoulders, moulting into adult plumage; the fact that this bird is developing a barred front indicates that it is a female (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Near Dripstone Cliffs, Darwin, NT, December 2017]

Lateral view of an immature Varied Triller moulting into adult plumage; the fact that this bird is developing a barred front indicates that it is a female (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Near Dripstone Cliffs, Darwin, NT, December 2017]

Dorsal view of an immature Varied Triller moulting into adult plumage; the fact that this bird is developing a grey-brownish back indicates that it is a female (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Near Dripstone Cliffs, Darwin, NT, December 2017]

Race "yorki"

ADULT

MALE

Near-lateral view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Julatten, QLD, July 2018]

Ventral view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Atherton, QLD, June 2024]

FEMALE

Near-frontal view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of G. Fallon)
[Earlville, Cairns, QLD, September 2025]

Near-lateral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, August 2023]

Lateral/ventral view of a female Varied Triller with its prey, in this case a caterpillar (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, July 2013]

Near-dorsal view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of G. Fallon)
[Earlville, Cairns, QLD, September 2025]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Julatten, QLD, July 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-dorsal view of a fledgling Varied Triller (photo courtesy of G. Fallon)
[Earlville, Cairns, QLD, September 2025]

Near-dorsal view of a fledgling Varied Triller (photo courtesy of G. Fallon)
[Earlville, Cairns, QLD, September 2025]

Race "macrura"

ADULT

MALE

Lateral/ventral view of a male Varied Triller (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Little Mertens Falls, Mitchell River NP, WA, June 2026]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Varied Triller (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Little Mertens Falls, Mitchell River NP, WA, June 2026]

Lateral view of a female Varied Triller with its prey, a juicy caterpillar
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Little Mertens Falls, Mitchell River NP, WA, June 2026]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - Dec

Eggs: 1

Incubation period: ?

Fledging age: ?

The period listed in the table above for the breeding season is a core range; the breeding season depends on geographic latitude and in favourable conditions it can extend to about March.

Nest building: Female & male

Incubation: Female & male

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

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

Type: Basket

Material: Root fibres, vine tendrils, webs

Height above ground: ?

Female Varied Triller collecting nest material, in this case very fine root firbres (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, December 2016]

Eggs

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

Size: 26 x 18 mm

Colour: White, with grey to grey-brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Note that Varied Trillers lay only one egg per attempt. That single egg is very large compared to the size of the bird (and its tiny nest), with a well-developed, fast-growing chick inside by the time it hatches.

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair/mob

Food, Diet

Varied Trillers feed primarily on small insects, including caterpillars. There is a separate page showing a female Varied Triller beating a caterpillar to pulp.

Like other insect eaters, Varied Trillers kill their prey first, before devouring it; frontal view of a female whacking a caterpillar against the branch it is sitting on
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Like other insect eaters, Varied Trillers kill their prey first, before devouring it; lateral view of a female whacking a caterpillar against the branch it is sitting on
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Like other insect eaters, Varied Trillers kill their prey first, before devouring it; ventral view of a female whacking a caterpillar against the branch it is sitting on
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Near-frontal view of a female Varied Triller with a fruit (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coomalie Creek, 90 km south of Darwin, NT, June 2018]

"Yeph, it doeth phit in!" (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coomalie Creek, 90 km south of Darwin, NT, June 2018]

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.

vartril_me_20200927.m4a	leucomela (N QLD)	Contact calls?	© ME
vartril_pb_20160626_2.m4a	rufiventris (Top End, NT)	Contact call? (female)	© PB
vartril_pb_20160626.m4a	rufiventris (Top End, NT)	Contact calls? (female)	© PB
vartril_pb_20221029.mp3	rufiventris (Top End, NT)	?	© PB

More Varied Triller 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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