Photo: Andrew / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Whitehead
Mohoua albicilla
Whitehead (Mohoua albicilla) — 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 Whitehead (Mohoua albicilla) is a member of the Mohouidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 17.6 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 Mohouidae Whiteheads
- Genus Mohoua
- Species albicilla
Quick facts
- Weight
- 17.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Mohouidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Whitehead 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 Whitehead is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Whitehead (Mohoua albicilla) belongs to the Mohouidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU North I. and satellites (New Zealand).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 17.6 g, with a wing length of about 7 cm and a tail of around 6.5 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 36,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Whitehead?
The Whitehead is a small bird that weighs around 17.6 g.
Where does the Whitehead live?
The Whitehead is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU North I. and satellites (New Zealand), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Whitehead belong to?
The Whitehead (Mohoua albicilla) belongs to the Mohouidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Whitehead eat?
The Whitehead is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Whitehead migrate?
The Whitehead is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Whitehead 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 Whitehead make?
1 real field recording of the Whitehead — 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 Whitehead's range?
The Whitehead has a mapped global range of about 36,000 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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