Identification: The male rufous whistler has a grey head and back, white throat and rufous underbody. There is a black band on the chest. Females have a grey body with the underbody being buff, streaked with brown.

Call/Song: A succession of musical notes comprises this bird's call. During breedin periods, a loud and tuneful song resembling pee-pee-pee or joey-joey-joey-eeee- chong may be heard.

Fopund throughout most of Australia, excluding some of the arid inland parts.

Habitat:Suitable habitat of the rufous whistler includes eucalpyt and other open forests as well as mangrove habitats.

Feeding: Eats many varieties of insects taken from trees as well as eating occassional berries.

Breeding/Nesting: Breeds from September through to January. Builds a cup-shaped nest of fine twigs and grasses, lined with fine grass and rootlets. This nest is placed in a tree-fork, low bush or tangled growth.

Movement: Mostly seen in pairs, but can be found in small parties.

Other Common Names: Echong, pale-breasted thickhead, little thrush, mock whipbird, ring coachman, thunderbird, thundering joey.

Status:

Distribution: 

Abundance:

Queensland Museum (1995) Wildlife of Greater Brisbane, Queensland Museum, Brisbane.

Reader's Digest Services (1979) Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds, Surry Hills, NSW.