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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Pachycephalidae
  4. ›
  5. Pachycephala
  6. ›
  7. Mangrove Golden Whistler
Mangrove Golden Whistler
Photo · Gould, 1843

BirdUp · Species

Mangrove Golden Whistler

Pachycephala melanuraGould, 1843

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Native
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Pachycephalidae
Genus
Pachycephala

At a glance

The Mangrove Golden Whistler is a small bird, about 14–18 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
14–18 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Mangrove Golden Whistler look like?

The Mangrove Golden Whistler is a small bird, about 14–18 cm long and weighing 18–31 g.

The mangrove golden whistler or black-tailed whistler, is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae. It is found in mangrove forests and adjacent wet forests of Papua New Guinea and Australia.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
14–18 cm
Weight
18–31 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Mangrove Golden Whistler?

The Mangrove Golden Whistler is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Mangrove Golden Whistler eat?

The Mangrove Golden Whistler feeds on terrestrial invertebrates and intertidal invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

3 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Mangrove Golden Whistler live in Australia?

The Mangrove Golden Whistler is native to Australia, recorded across 23 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingWidespread Australia through Bismarck Arch. and north Solomon Is.

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Passage
  • Vagrant
  • Resident

5 regions recorded