Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Male Golden Whistler, Cobargo, NSW, Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image Australia

The Golden Whistler is distributed in eastern and south-eastern Australia, Tasmania, south-western Australia and Papua New Guinea. It is found in a wide variety of habitats from rain forest to coastal scrub and gardens.

The male, seen here in the first 3 photos, is a stunning bird with his golden-yellow underparts and nape separated from a white throat by a black breastband. The head is also black while the mantle and back are olive-green.

Photos 4 to 6 show an immature at the end of February. It is similar to a female except that it has rufous on the wing feathers and a pale base to the bill.

Male Golden Whistler, Murramarang NP, NSW, Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image Compare these to photo 7 which shows a female. Note the yellow on the undertail coverts indicating that this female belongs to the nominate sub-species. All other sub-species on mainland Australia have females with a white crissum.

Male Golden Whistler, Cobargo, NSW, Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image
Immature Golden Whistler, The Coorong, South Australia, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image
Immature Golden Whistler, The Coorong, South Australia, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image
Immature Golden Whistler, The Coorong, South Australia, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image
Female Golden Whistler, Daintree, Queensland, Australia, November 2010 - click for larger image
Golden Whistler, Cheynes Beach, Western Australia, October 2013 - click for larger image
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