Rufus whistler

Appearance

Rufous whistlers are large-headed and stocky. They have short beaks and long tails 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 are predominantly dark-grey with white throats and a black mask that covers most of their head and some of their neck.
These birds are between 16 and 18 centimetres in size, on average, and their normal weight is approximately 25 grams .

The rufous whistler has a variety of musical calls which consist of a lengthy series of ringing notes.

Naming

Five subspecies are recognized:
⤷  ''P. r. minor'' – Zietz, FR, 1914: Found on Melville and Bathurst Islands
⤷  ''P. r. falcata'' – Gould, 1843: Originally described as a separate species. Found in northern Australia
⤷  ''P. r. pallida'' – Ramsay, EP, 1878: Originally described as a separate species. Found in north-eastern Australia
⤷  ''P. r. rufiventris'' – : Found in Australia
⤷  ''P. r. xanthetraea'' – : Originally described as a separate species in the genus ''Muscicapa''. Found in New Caledonia

Distribution

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.

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.

Reproduction

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.

Food

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.