Can somebody identify this bird please?

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arkle
arkle's picture
Can somebody identify this bird please?

It was in my garden in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. It was about five or six inches tall, quite fluttery. It had a loud musical single "kwip", once every 5-10 seconds.

Thank you,

arkle

ed
ed's picture

I think a Whistler, maybe a female Golden

Ed Townsville NQ

Gelmir
Gelmir's picture

G'day arkle, I think ed's right.
I hope you don't mind, but I played around with the colours of your photo to try and help with the ID. Not much to go on though.

DenisWilson
DenisWilson's picture

Hi Arkle, Ed, Gelmir and everybody.

Call as described sounds more like a Grey Shrike Thrush.
Large eye,and slight striation on breast also fit with that bird.
Thanks to Gelmir for adjusting the image.
Cheers

ed
ed's picture

Hi Arkle, still going with a whistler, size seems to point that way, any other pictures of the bird? no matter if not great quality another view may just give us the clue we need to be sure.
Hi Denis,did look at ShTh but discounted on size. The guides also give a contact call for the GW as a single rising 'tseeip'.

Ed Townsville NQ

arkle
arkle's picture

Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to go with the whistler. The call was a single loud, clear, resonant "tsee-ip" type of sound, though perhaps slightly warmer. It was so conspicuous that I instantly knew, from inside my house, that this was a bird I didn't know and hadn't seen before. Thank you all.

arkle

soakes
soakes's picture

My first thought when I saw the pic was "grey shrike thrush"... but on second look it does seem a bit small. Then again, I don't really know what a grey whistler looks like.

GSTes do make that sort of sound every few seconds though (when they're not impressing you with their more substantial songs).

- soakes

soakes
Olinda, Victoria, Australia

Anonymous

which type of whistler?

Jennywren
Jennywren's picture

Over here I get the Golden Whistler and the Grey Shrike thrush. The call is very similar and the best way I can explain to pick the difference is that the plainer coloured Shrike Thrush has the same sound but with a more "rainforest" type echo. Slightly clearer and more beautiful in voice but definately a much plainer look! UNfortunately as it is so plain I havent taken any photos of it but I am sure you could google one. They certainly have the same dark round eyes for starters as the one in your picture. Sorry I can't be of more help
Jen

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