Having mostly-green plumage and living in the dense undergrowth, the Eastern Whipbird is seen far less often than it is heard. Its whip-crack call is a characteristic of many of the moist forests in eastern Australia. The unusual feature of this call is that it is often performed by two birds calling in unison, with one bird contributing the first part of the call and another giving the second part. This so-called ‘antiphonal’ calling involves great coordination between the two birds to give the call its familiar whip-crack sound.
Adult Eastern Whipbirds are mostly dark olive-green above, with a long tail, and a grey-white belly. The head and breast are black, with a broad white patch on the side of the face and a black crest. The eye is a reddish-brown and the bill is black. Young whip birds are generally duller, with a smaller crest. The
