Perching birds - Eastern Whipbird
| More pictures | Eastern Whipbird (Psophodes olivaceus) |  |
Eastern Whipbird
(Psophodes olivaceus)
| Length: | 30cm |
Description: Black crest, white patch under eyes, black breast, mottled white belly and olive green back and brown wings. Long olive green tail.
Breeding: They breed between July and December and sometimes raise two broods during a season. The nest is a flatish cup of twigs built in dense foliage near the ground made by the female. The female incubates the clutch of two to three blue-white to blue-green eggs for approximately 18 days before they hatch. Both parents help feed the young which will remain in the nest for another 12 days.
Region: East coast of Australia from Victoria to North Queensland, becoming less common in the north as their habitat is destroyed.
Notes: Whipbirds like to stay within vocal contact of each other and will regularly be heard calling to each other. The male makes a long drawn out whip crack noise immediately followed by the female's choo choo. This combination is so well timed that many people think they've heard only one bird.
Habitat: Dense foliage or undergrowth near the ground, usually in wet areas such as rainforests or near creekside and rivers.
Feeding: They forage through the leaf litter using their beaks and feet looking for insects and larvae.
