I managed some good shots of a Golden Whistler recently. The first photo shows the pretty striping on the bird’s wings, as well as its black head and white bib. The bright colours are characteristic of a mature male bird.

I read that these birds are also called thunderbirds because they tend to sing in reaction to sudden loud noises, including thunder. What a grand name for a tiny little scrap!

A while ago, I saw my first Golden Whistler and snapped some shots of it high in the treetops. The pictures were a little fuzzy, because the bird was so far away. In that earlier post there are a couple of videos in which you can hear the song of the Golden Whistler.

These birds don’t stay in one spot for long. Here’s the bird about to head off, giving a nice glimpse of its golden front:

Common name: Golden Whistler

Scientific name: Pachycephala pectoralis

Approximate length: 16-18 cm

Date spotted: 10 March 2020 (late summer)

Location: Manly Dam Reserve, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’27.5″S 151°14’59.8″E