Pachycephala rufiventris
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The rufous whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) is a species of whistler found in New Caledonia and Australia. Predominantly a reddish-brown and grey bird, it makes up for its subdued plumage with its song-making ability. Like many other members of the Pachycephalidae, it has a variety of musical calls.
The rufous whistler was originally described in the genus Sylvia by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801. It was subsequently classified within the genera Turdus, Laniarius, and Lanius before being classified in its present genus, Pachycephala. Alternate names for the rufous whistler include the rufous-bellied whistler and white-bellied whistler. The latter name should not be confused with the species of the same name, Pachycephala leucogastra. Some authorities have considered the black-headed, drab, and cinnamon-breasted whistlers to be subspecies of the rufous whistler.
Found in northern Australia Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Nitmiluk National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 15 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 17 | Rottnest Island | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 18 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alice Springs Desert Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous Whistler sighting in Rottnest Island on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 69th most-seen of the 81 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous Whistler in Rottnest Island on a given day, against under 5% in July to May, the lowest months. That is one of Rottnest Island's wettest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 5 mm in December.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rufous Whistler sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
17th of 18
Of the 18 parks where we can rate Rufous Whistler sightings, Rottnest Island ranks 17th at under 5%. The best odds are in Flinders Ranges National Park (Australia, about 50%), Kosciuszko National Park (Australia, about 40%) and Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (Australia, about 30%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rufous Whistler is recorded against all the birds logged in Rottnest Island (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
