White-breasted Whistler
Pachycephala lanioides
Large, chunky songbird with thick hooked bill, found in mangrove vegetation of northern Australia. Male gray above, white below, with black crown connected to black-and-brown collar that encloses white throat. White throat recalls similar Rufous Whistler. 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. Loud whistling calls, including a two-note rising "toooo-whittt.”
Identification
Large, chunky songbird with thick hooked bill, found in mangrove vegetation of northern Australia. Male gray above, white below, with black crown connected to black-and-brown collar that encloses white throat. White throat recalls similar Rufous Whistler. 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. Loud whistling calls, including a two-note rising "toooo-whittt.”
Taxonomy
Alternate names for the white-breasted whistler include white-bellied thickhead and white-bellied whistler. The latter name should not be confused with the species of the same name, Pachycephala leucogastra.<p>Three subspecies are recognized:
- Scientific name
- Pachycephala lanioides
- Authority
- Gould, 1840
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pachycephalidae
- Genus
- Pachycephala
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-bellied Myzomela
Myzomela erythromelas
A striking myzomela with an entirely black body and a bright crimson head. Female olive-brown with a duller, but still vivid, red face. Found in most forested habitats and secondary growth, sometimes in gardens. Similar to Sclater’s Myzomela, but lacks the black head and grayish body. Mostly quiet, but most common call is a rapid, squeaky “tsi-tsi-tsi.”
Foothill Screech-Owl
Megascops roraimae
Small, cryptically patterned, yellow-eyed owl of forest in lowlands and foothills, where it tends to stay well hidden in the understory. Occurs on the east slope of the Andes and into the lowlands, as far south as Bolivia and as far east as the Guyanas. Cannot be identified readily by sight, but it is the only screech-owl throughout most of its range and within its habitat. Song is a purring trill that can easily be mistaken for the purring of a toad or insect. Plumage varies from grayish brown overall to reddish.
White-collared Jay
Cyanolyca viridicyanus
Handsome small jay of montane Andean forest. Slender and long-tailed, without a crest; overall dark blue with a black face and throat, thin white eyebrow, and white chest arc. Forages at mid-height in mossy forest, often in pairs or small groups. Listen for its repeating whistled call and harsher nasal calls.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.