Eastern Shriketit

The eastern shriketit is 15–19 cm (5.9–7.5 in) in overall length, with a wingspan of 24–29 cm (9.4–11.4 in). The males weigh 26.5–40 g (0.9–1.4 oz) and the females 23–33 g (0.8–1.2 oz). The eastern shriketit has a mantle, back and rump that are olive-brown to olive-green. The underparts are yellow. The head features broad white patches separated by a thick black eyeline with another black band running over the crown from the bill to the nape. The male has an erectable crest. It has a large bill with which to lever and strip bark. The throat of the male is black, whereas that of the female is olive-brown. Juveniles have a similar head pattern to adults but the throat, breast and belly are buffy-white, and the wings are browner.

Vocalisation. The call of the eastern shriketit is a weak, mellow and mournful whistle, sounding like whiert, whit-whit, wheeir. It also makes repeated stuttering or chuckling calls described as "knock-at-the-door", and can perfectly mimic many species within its habitat.

Similar species. The golden whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis) occupies a similar range and habitat to the eastern shriketit from which it is distinguished by a mostly black head, white throat with black breast-band, narrow bill and yellow plumage extending across the nape.

The eastern shriketit is endemic to Australia. It is found in the Atherton Tablelands of tropical Queensland, southward through New South Wales and Victoria, including the Murray-Darling basin, to the Mount Lofty Ranges and Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia. It is commonest in north-central and coastal Victoria and east of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales; its presence in Queensland is more scattered. Its preferred habitat is the canopy of eucalypt forests and open woodlands, and to a lesser extent stands of mallee, cypress-pine, coastal tea-tree and banksia. It is also found in trees along rivers and occasionally in rainforests. It is sedentary or locally nomadic.

The eastern shriketit forages unobtrusively, either in pairs or small groups in the canopy of trees, levering up and tearing bark with its strong bill to reveal prey of spiders, beetles and insect larvae. As an avian example of tool-use, it has been observed holding a twig in its bill and poking it into a crevice to obtain concealed insects.