Photo: Hellmayer, 1914 / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Fawn-breasted Whistler
Pachycephala orpheus
Fawn-breasted Whistler (Pachycephala orpheus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
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The Fawn-breasted Whistler (Pachycephala orpheus) is a member of the Pachycephalidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 15.5 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 orpheus
Where it lives
Rote, Timor, Jaco (east of Timor), Atauro (between Timor and Wetar) and Wetar (eastern Lesser Sundas); Roma (=Romang, east of Wetar; eastern Lesser Sundas); Leti and Moa (east of Timor, eastern Lesser Sundas)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pachycephalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Fawn-breasted Whistler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Fawn-breasted Whistler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Fawn-breasted Whistler (Pachycephala orpheus) belongs to the Pachycephalidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Rote, Timor, Jaco (e of Timor), Atauro (between Timor and Wetar) and Wetar (e Lesser Sundas); Roma (=Romang, e of Wetar; e Lesser Sundas); Leti and Moa (e of Timor, e Lesser Sundas).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.3 cm and a tail of around 5.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 22,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Fawn-breasted Whistler?
The Fawn-breasted Whistler is a small bird that weighs around 15.5 g.
Where does the Fawn-breasted Whistler live?
The Fawn-breasted Whistler is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Rote, Timor, Jaco (e of Timor), Atauro (between Timor and Wetar) and Wetar (e Lesser Sundas); Roma (=Romang, e of Wetar; e Lesser Sundas); Leti and Moa (e of Timor, e Lesser Sundas), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Fawn-breasted Whistler belong to?
The Fawn-breasted Whistler (Pachycephala orpheus) belongs to the Pachycephalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Fawn-breasted Whistler eat?
The Fawn-breasted Whistler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Fawn-breasted Whistler migrate?
The Fawn-breasted Whistler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Fawn-breasted 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.
How large is the Fawn-breasted Whistler's range?
The Fawn-breasted Whistler has a mapped global range of about 22,000 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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