The red-lored whistler is one of nine species of whistler occurring in Australia and a member of the family Pachycephalidae which includes whistlers, shrike-thrushes, pitohuis and allies. The limited range of this endemic bird of the Mallee woodland in one small area in New South Wales and another, larger area encompassing north-western Victoria and adjacent South Australia has seen it listed nationally as vulnerable.

The Gilbert's whistler is a monotypic species of bird endemic to Australia, scattered in semi-arid zones of southern Australia.