Alternative names: Olivaceous Whistler; Olive Thickhead; Native Thrush; Whipbird
- Pachycephala olivacea
Identification
17.5 - 21cm
- Dark grey head
- Olive-brown upperparts
- Blackish-brown bill
- White throat with broken grey barrings
- Buff-brown underparts with grey wash on breast
Females are dller and have a more olive-brown head. Their throat lacks the barring. Juveniles are more rufous-brown.
Distribution
Found in southeast Australia and Tasmania.
Scarce to uncommon and patchily distributed.
Taxonomy
Five subspecies usually recognized:
- P. o. macphersoniana in east Australia from extreme southeast Queensland in mountains to New South Wales
- P. o. olivacea in the mountains of southeast New South Wales and central and northeast Victoria
- P. o. bathychroa in south Victoria
- P. o. hesperus at the coasts of extreme southeast South Australia and extreme southwest Victoria
- P. o. apatetes on Tasmania and the islands in Bass Strait
Sometimes placed in genus Timixos.
Habitat
Tall wet forest, woodland, rainforest and alpine heaths. In beech forests in the northern part of the range.
Behaviour
Feeds mainly on insects, occasionally on seeds, leaves and small fruits. It forages in trees and shrubs and on the ground. Breeding season from September to January. It builds nests of twigs and grass in low forks of shrubs. 2-3 eggs are laid. Mainly sedentary, some small movements are known.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- 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
- Simpson, K and N Day. 1998. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-4877-5
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Olive Whistler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Olive_Whistler
