Large terrestrial bird with rather long bill, long tail, and strong legs.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilyWhistlers and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityUncommon
HabitatInhabits sandstone areas of northern Australia, where it is only likely to be observed on rocks, not in forest.
Best timeMost reliable in Northern Territory from June to September.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by nick talbot
Range map
Range map
357visible hotspots
3709visible records
3states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Brown above, peach-buff below, with grayish head and breast. Similarly sized Gray Shrikethrush has shorter tail, lacks warm tones below.
Behavior
Inhabits sandstone areas of northern Australia, where it is only likely to be observed on rocks, not in forest. Often sings loudly from the top of sandstone towers and rocky cliffs, a rapid, two-note whistle.
Gallery
Regional timing
Northern Territory
Western Australia
Queensland
Commonly confused with
White-breasted WhistlerPachycephala lanioidesLarge, chunky songbird with thick hooked bill, found in mangrove vegetation of northern Australia. Female and immature gray above, pale below, with extensive fine streaking that fades into an almost white belly. Compare Little Shrikethrush, which is smaller with a more obvious pale eyebrow.→Black-tailed WhistlerPachycephala melanuraMale has an olive-yellow back, black head, white chin, bright yellow underparts, and thick yellow hindcollar. Female plain gray above, paler gray below, with yellow undertail and in some subspecies a yellow belly. Vocalizations include variations on whistled songs, sometimes with a whip-like ending.→