Skip to main content

Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Western Whipbird

Psophodes nigrogularis

Western Whipbird (Psophodes nigrogularis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

See what's near you right now

The Western Whipbird (Psophodes nigrogularis) is a member of the Psophodidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 44.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Psophodidae Whipbirds
  4. Genus Psophodes
  5. Species nigrogularis

Where it lives

Far southwestern Australia, coastal south-central SA (south-central Australia) and Kangaroo I. (off southeastern SA; south-central Australia)

Quick facts

Weight
44.5 g
Family
Psophodidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Western Whipbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Western Whipbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Western Whipbird (Psophodes nigrogularis) belongs to the Psophodidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU far sw Australia, coastal sc SA (sc Australia) and Kangaroo I. (off se SA; sc Australia).

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 44.5 g, with a wing length of about 8.1 cm and a tail of around 11.6 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 70,000 km².

Songs & calls

Western Whipbird — Song

Recorded by Louis Masarei Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Western Whipbird?

The Western Whipbird is a small bird that weighs around 44.5 g.

Where does the Western Whipbird live?

The Western Whipbird is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU far sw Australia, coastal sc SA (sc Australia) and Kangaroo I. (off se SA; sc Australia), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Western Whipbird belong to?

The Western Whipbird (Psophodes nigrogularis) belongs to the Psophodidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Western Whipbird eat?

The Western Whipbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Western Whipbird migrate?

The Western Whipbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Western Whipbird 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 Western Whipbird make?

1 real field recording of the Western Whipbird — 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 Western Whipbird's range?

The Western Whipbird has a mapped global range of about 70,000 km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Psophodidae

More in Songbirds

Guides for this bird

Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds

How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.

4 min read

Back to top