Gilbert's Whistler - BirdForum Opus

Alternative names: Black-lored Whistler; Red-throated Whistler; Red-throated Thickbird



Male
Photo © by Peter Day
Hawker South Australia July 2018

Pachycephala inornata

Identification

17 - 20.5cm

• Brownish-grey upperparts (individual variation in colours in general)
• Black lores and red eye
• Deep orange upper breast and throat
• Pale grey rest of breast and abdomen
• Buff-white undertail-coverts

Females are uniform grey above and lighter grey below with a darker breast. Juveniles have a rufous-brown breast and upperparts.



Female
Photo by Rose Fletcher
Nangawooka Flora Reserve, Victor Harbor, South Australia, September 2007

Similar species

Similar to Red-lored Whistler but note dark lores and missing orange abdomen.

Distribution

Southern parts of Australia.
Generally uncommon.

Taxonomy

Some sources recognize two subspecies (inornata and gilbertii), others think this is a monotypic species.
Sometimes placed in genus Timixos.

Habitat

Shrubby woodland and mallee.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds mainly on insects, sometimes takes fruits and seeds.
Forages on or close to the ground. Beautiful song but very difficult to get close to.

Breeding

Breeding season from July to December. The nest is a deep cup made of dry grass, fine twigs and strips of bark strips. It's placed 0.4 - 6m above the ground in an upright fork of a small tree or shrub. Lays 2 -3 eggs.

Movements

Nomadic in some places, but movements poorly understood.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Simpson, K and N Day. 1998. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-4877-5
3. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
4. Pizzey, G and F Knight. 1997. Field Guide to Birds of Australia. London: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0207196911
5. BF member personal observation

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Gilbert's Whistler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Gilbert%27s_Whistler

External Links

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