Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous Whistler
Pachycephala rufiventris
Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 9 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) is a member of the Pachycephalidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 22.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Pachycephalidae Whistlers & Allies
- Genus Pachycephala
- Species rufiventris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pachycephalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous Whistler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Rufous Whistler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) is a species of bird in the Pachycephalidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia and New Caledonia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.3 cm and a tail of around 6.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous Whistler?
The Rufous Whistler is a small bird that weighs around 22.5 g.
Where does the Rufous Whistler live?
The Rufous Whistler is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia and New Caledonia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous Whistler belong to?
The Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) belongs to the Pachycephalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous Whistler eat?
The Rufous Whistler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous Whistler migrate?
The Rufous Whistler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous Whistler endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Rufous Whistler make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous Whistler — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rufous Whistler's range?
The Rufous Whistler has a mapped global range of about 7.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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