Rufous Whistler
Pachycephala rufiventris
Robust songbird with short, fairly stout bill. Male pale gray above, pale orange below, with a bold white throat bordered in back. Female and immature are grayish above, pale below with extensive streaking that fades at buffy lower belly. Inhabits drier woodland and shrubland. Loud whistling song, given by both sexes.
Identification
Rufous whistlers are large-headed and stocky. They have short beaks and long tails (almost as long as the rest of the bird) which are very narrow and have sharp, forked tips.The species is sexually dimorphic. While females are typically dull brown or grey with streaked underbodies, males have rufous underparts and predominantly dark-grey back and tail with white throats and (in most cases) a black mask that covers most of their head and some of their neck.These birds are between 16 and 18 centimetres (6.3 and 7.1 inches) in size, on average, and their normal weight is approximately 25 grams (0.88 ounces).<p>The rufous whistler has a variety of musical calls which consist of a lengthy series of ringing notes.
Taxonomy
The rufous whistler was originally described in the genus Sylvia by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801. It was subsequently classified within the genera Turdus, Laniarius, and Lanius before being classified in its present genus, Pachycephala. Alternate names for the rufous whistler include the rufous-bellied whistler and white-bellied whistler. The latter name should not be confused with the species of the same name, Pachycephala leucogastra. Some authorities have considered the black-headed, drab, and cinnamon-breasted whistlers to be subspecies of the rufous whistler.<p>Five subspecies are recognized:
- Scientific name
- Pachycephala rufiventris
- Authority
- (Latham, 1801)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pachycephalidae
- Genus
- Pachycephala
Range and habitat
The rufous whistler can be found in forested areas, woodland, and shrubland, but also in gardens and farmland. It migrates seasonally, moving south in the spring and north in the autumn. In New Caledonia the species does not undertake migrations but is instead resident in areas of open forest and savannah.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Breeding in monogamous pairs, both males and females incubate their eggs and care for their young. The period of incubation is about 13 days on average. The female alone constructs the nest, which usually consists of a combination of twigs, vines, grass and other matter formed in a cup-like shape and attached to a tree branch using strands from spider webs.The breeding season for rufous whistlers is between the months of July and February.<p>While rufous whistlers primarily feed on insects, they also eat seeds, fruit and occasionally, leaves and grasses. They never forage for food on the ground which is unusual for whistlers which typically do not forage at particularly high levels.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Luzon Rail
Lewinia mirifica
A mysterious medium-sized rail, possibly of foothill or montane grassy areas and forests. Dark brown above with a pale gray chest, a whitish throat, a barred belly, blackish legs, and a fairly long, curved reddish bill. Little known in life and mainly seen at a banding station, suggesting local migration. Similar to Slaty-breasted and Buff-banded Rails, but Luzon has a fairly unpatterned back, a longer, thinner bill, and no rufous on the head. Voice little known, although when distressed, gives a sharp “kwik!” and various squeals.
White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
Large-headed, predominantly brown kingfisher with electric-blue back and wings, heavy red bill, and snow-white patch from the throat through the breast. Common both near and away from water; frequently seen perched on fence posts and telephone lines near wetlands, lakes, agricultural fields, and clearings. Gives jarring, raptor-like descending trills and cackles, often in flight.
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Elaenia flavogaster
Rather bulky small flycatcher, widespread in tropical lowlands. Fairly common in overgrown brushy clearings, savannas, and other semi-open areas with scattered bushes. Looks like many other small flycatchers, and where multiple species of elaenias occur it is often not possible to identify birds to species. On Yellow-bellied, note its spiky, white-based crest (rarely held flattened), burry drawled call, whitish wingbars, and pale yellow belly; does not flick its wings or tail.
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