Use of a communal display area by Rufous Whistlers Pachycephala rufiventris

We observed a congregation of Rufous Whistlers Pachycephala rufiventris perform courtship displays toward each other on multiple occasions, a previously undocumented behaviour. We posit that the location of the courtship behaviour represented a communal display area and the behaviour arose either because of individuals congregating at an established location to form pair bonds, or because the location was at a shared territory boundary where individuals gathered to defend their territories, which led to courtship behaviour between multiple individuals. Our observations provide new insights into the courtship behaviour of Rufous Whistlers and we suggest how future work could offer insight into the origin and function of communal display behaviour in this species.