Hi all,
Just returned from an outstading trip to Micronesia, during which we saw all possible birds, including Guam Rail.
Seeing some of these birds started me thinking.
The lumping by James L. Peters of Todiramphus pelewensis, The Palau Kingfisher and Todiramphus reichenbachii, the Pohnpei Kingfisher, into T. cinnamominus, the now extinct Guam Kingfisher, seems to me highly objectionable. Males of cinnamominus has a rufous head and underparts, a blue-green back, rump, wings and tail. Females differ in having a whitish belly. Juveniles have a pale rufous throat,dusky markings on breast and a buff belly. The illustrations of pelewensis and reichenbachii in Handbook of the Birds oif the World, 6, pl 15 are seriously wrong, in that both taxa are shown as having a solid rufous crown like that of cinnamominus. Reichenbachii of Pohnpei is smaller. Adults of both sexes are white below, with a rusty-cinnamon crown, much paler than that of the Guam taxon. Juveniles resemble cinnamominus, except that they have a white throat and rusty feather edgings on the crown. Pelewensis of Palau are smaller still, and both sexes, including juveniles, white below, with crown ranging from pale rusty-cinnamon to white.
Also their calls are quite distinct. That of Guam birds is described by Pratt et al. 1987, p.222 as a harsh kshh-skshh-skshh-kroo-ee,kroo-ee sometimes given in flight, and a plaintive kiv-kiv or kiu-kiu-kiu given from concealment. That call may be heard here:
http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/5590
The call of reichenbachii from Pohnpei is described as a harsh tschip-weer, or skreer and a loud kewp-kewp-kewp-kewp. That call may be heard here:
http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/139985
pelewensis is said to be usually silent,but occasionally utters a loud rasping series that begins with a chatter che-che-che,che-kreek,kreek,kreek.
http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/5345
Finally, I would like to quote from Birds and Bats of Palau by Douglas Pratt and Mandy Etpison. Under the heading of their Rusty-capped Kingfisher (T.c.pelewensis) they concluded: "Differences among the so-called 'Micronesian Kingfishers' include voice, adult and juvenile plumage coloration, and nesting habits. Those on Pohnpei are larger, and look very much like Rusty-capped as adults, but the juveniles resembe the strikingly different Guam Kingfisher in that one, the white parts of the Rusty-cap's plumage are are a rich rusty chestnut, and unlike the other two, adult females are distinctive with a white belly, but juveniles are like adults. These visual differences are what scientists call an 'isolating mechansim'. This is any behavioral, ecological or physical characteristics that prevent two species from interbreeding, during the mating process or after pairs have formed. For example, Pohnpei birds nest in cavities in termite nests, while the Rusty-capped uses tree cavities, since the termite nests in Palau are used by Collared Kingfishers. So even if, hypothetically, a Pohnpei bird and a Rusty-cap would mate, they would not be able to decide where to nest! And we suspect the three Micronesian forms might not recognize each other visually, either."
This is one of the silliest examples of Peters's lumps that I have yet come across.
Dr John Penhallurick
86 Bingley Cres
Fraser A.C.T. 2615
Australia
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