Fiji whistler
| Fiji whistler | |
|---|---|
 | |
| male | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Pachycephalidae |
| Genus: | Pachycephala |
| Species: | P. vitiensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Pachycephala vitiensis Gray, G.R. 1860 | |
| Subspecies | |
|
See text | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The Fiji whistler (Pachycephala vitiensis) is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae, which is endemic to Fiji.
Taxonomy and systematics
It was variably considered a subspecies of a widespread golden whistler (P. pectoralis).[2][3] Three of the subspecies (P. v. kandavensis, lauana, and vitiensis) of the former white-throated whistler (P. v. kandavensis, lauana, and vitiensis) were lumped with the Fiji whistler in 2014 by the IOC.[4] The Temotu whistler was formerly considered conspecific with the Fiji whistler.
Subspecies
Ten subspecies are recognized:[5]
- P. v. kandavensis - Ramsay, 1876: Originally described as a separate species. Found on Kadavu
- P. v. lauana - Mayr, 1932: Found in southern Lau Islands
- P. v. vitiensis - Gray, G.R. 1860: Found on Gau Island
- P. v. bella - Mayr, 1932: Found on Vatu Vara
- P. v. koroana - Mayr, 1932: Found on Koro Island
- Taveuni whistler (P. v. torquata), or Taveuni Island golden whistler - Layard, EL, 1875: Originally described as a separate species. Found on Taveuni Island
- P. v. aurantiiventris - Seebohm, 1891: Originally described as a separate species. Found on Yanganga and Vanua Levu
- P. v. ambigua - Mayr, 1932: Found on southeast Vanua Levu, Rabi, and Kioa
- P. v. optata - Hartlaub, 1866: Originally described as a separate species. Found on south-eastern Viti Levu and Ovalau
- P. v. graeffii - Hartlaub, 1866: Originally described as a separate species. Found on Waya and Viti Levu
Description
Some of the subspecies of the Fiji whistler are yellow-throated, while others are white-throated.[2] It has been speculated that these two groups are the result of separate waves of colonisations, with the yellow-throated being the result of an early colonisation, and the white-throated the result of a secondary colonisation.[2] The yellow-throated are found on most northern and central islands (Vanua Levu, Viti Levu, Taveuni, Ovalau, Kioa, Rabi, Koro and Vatu Vara), while the white-throated are found on some southern islands (Kadavu, Gau and southern Lau Islands.[2]
Vocalisations
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Pachycephala vitiensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Boles, W. E. (2007). Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis). pp. 421-423 in: del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie, D. eds (2007). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 978-84-96553-42-2
- ↑ IOC World Bird List, version 1.7
- ↑ "IOC World Bird List 4.4". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.4.4.
- ↑ "IOC World Bird List 6.3". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.6.3.