Whipbirds at Flowerdale

Eastern Whipbird

For some years now, Eastern Whipbirds have been heard regularly in the streamside reserve at Coonans Bridge on the King Parrot Creek at Flowerdale. They are quite shy and elusive, but are also curious, so with patience you may get a glimpse of these distinctive birds, and even a quick snap as we did recently. Its crest, white cheek/throat patch and long tail are features to look for.
The reserve, with its dense undergrowth and abundant leaf litter and fallen branches from the towering Manna Gums, is ideal habitat for the ground-foraging whipbirds. Despite having fire close on both sides, the reserve was fortunately spared in the Black Saturday fires, and quickly became a refuge for surviving wildlife.
The value of this reserve will be enhanced by the establishment of a continuous link to the Mt. Disappointment State Forest through a wide protected vegetation corridor proposed as part of the Strath Creek Biodiversity Project (click for a link to the project website.)

We’ve managed to record several calls of the whipbird. Click on the icon below to hear firstly the male’s resounding whip-crack call, then the male with the female’s immediate response, and lastly the strange clucking and scolding calls that the birds make at times.