Eastern Whipbird
Psophodes olivaceus
Family: Clinclosomatidae
Male hiding in a River She-Oak, 1st Mar 2005
© 2005 Mike Simpson
Status: Common/Sedentary
The Eastern Whipbird is a very common bird in the Penrith area. The male's explosive whip-crack sounding call, answered immediately by the female's 'choo-choo' is familiar to everyone who walks in wooded areas. However the Eastern Whipbird is very secretive in it's movements, is dark green/black in colour and does not move around a lot, staying still in thick foliage. Therefore they are rarely seen by the casual observer and trying to get a photograph of one is very difficult.
Size: 25-31cm
Nesting Ecology: Breeds Aug-Dec, the nest is a flattish cup of sticks, grass or bracken lined with rootlets.
Australian Distribution: Along the east coast from N. and E. of Melbourne to around Toowoomba in Qld.
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