Photo: Joseph Smit / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Island Whistler
Pachycephala phaionota
Island Whistler (Pachycephala phaionota) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Island Whistler (Pachycephala phaionota) is a member of the Pachycephalidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 24.8 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 phaionota
Where it lives
Islets of Nanusa (Talaud Is., northeast of Sulawesi), Moluccas, Raja Ampat Is. (northwest of New Guinea), Rani (Geelvink Bay, northwestern New Guinea) and Aru Is. (southwest of New Guinea)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 24.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pachycephalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Island 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 Island Whistler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Island Whistler (Pachycephala phaionota) is a species of bird in the Pachycephalidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU islets of Nanusa (Talaud Is., ne of Sulawesi), Moluccas, Raja Ampat Is. (nw of New Guinea), Rani (Geelvink Bay, nw New Guinea) and Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 24.8 g, with a wing length of about 8.4 cm and a tail of around 6.3 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 9,617 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Island Whistler?
The Island Whistler is a small bird that weighs around 24.8 g.
Where does the Island Whistler live?
The Island Whistler is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU islets of Nanusa (Talaud Is., ne of Sulawesi), Moluccas, Raja Ampat Is. (nw of New Guinea), Rani (Geelvink Bay, nw New Guinea) and Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Island Whistler belong to?
The Island Whistler (Pachycephala phaionota) belongs to the Pachycephalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Island Whistler eat?
The Island Whistler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Island Whistler migrate?
The Island Whistler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Island 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 Island Whistler make?
1 real field recording of the Island Whistler — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Island Whistler's range?
The Island Whistler has a mapped global range of about 9,617 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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