Photo by Rose Fletcher
Nangawooka Flora Reserve, Victor Harbor, South Australia, April 2008
Alternative name: Australian Golden Whistler
- Pachycephala pectoralis
Identification
16 - 19cm. A very variable Whistler with many different subspecies which differ greatly in plumage.
- Australia:
- Black head, nape and band around upper breast
- White throat
- Yellow nape extending to breast and underparts
- Olive-green back
- Females have brownish-grey upperparts
- Similar to Black-tailed Whistler from northern Australia but note black tail in latter
- Indonesia
- Most subspecies with orange-wash on underparts
- Everetti with almost black wings
- Pacific Islands (only some variations):
- Sanfordi with yellow throat and entirely yellow underparts. Female with fine streaking on underparts
- Christophori with dark olive-green head and broad black on breast
- Melanoptera with yellow throat and narrow black band on breast
- Littayei with orange underparts, female orange-yellow too
- Ornata with black nape and yellow on wings
- Fuscoflava with thick black bill, yellow throat and big head
- Melanonota with almost black upperparts, yellow throat, broad black band and blackish half-moon on belly
- Xanthoprocta with brownish-grey head, chin, throat and upperparts and only slightly yellow on underparts
Distribution
Indonesia and parts of Australasia (details under Taxonomy).
Common in most of its range. Some subspecies have a very small range.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
- P. p. obiensis: South Moluccas (Obi and Bisa)
- P. p. fergussonis: Fergusson I. (D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago)
- P. p. pectoralis: Eastern Australia (Cooktown, Queensland to Hunter River, New South Wales
- P. p. youngi: South Eastern Australia (central New South Wales to south-western Victoria)
- P. p. glaucura: Tasmania and Flinders Island (Bass Strait)
- P. p. fuliginosa: South-western Western Australia to south-eastern South Australia and western Victoria
- P. p. misimae: Misima I. (Louisiade Archipelago)
- P. p. whitneyi: Shortland Island (Solomon Islands)
- P. p. littayei: New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands (Lifou and Maré)
- P. p. cucullata: Aneityum (Vanuatu)
- P. p. chlorura: Erromango (Vanuatu)
- P. p. intacta: Vanuatu and Banks Group
- P. p. vanikorensis: Vanikoro and Santa Cruz Islands
- P. p. contempta: Lord Howe I.
- P. p. xanthoprocta: Norfolk I.
Discussion
A complex example of geographical variation. Has been considered conspecific with some other Whistlers, especially with Black-tailed Whistler, Tongan Whistler, New Caledonian Whistler, White-throated Whistler, Oriole Whistler, Yellow-throated Whistler, Fulvous-tinted Whistler, Black-chinned Whistler, Bismarck Whistler and Banda Sea Whistler.
Norfolk Island Whistler (P. p. xanthoprocta) has been proposed as a full species and other subspecies have been included in other species.
Habitat
Very varied in the type of forest and scrub habitat acceptable, from rainforest and mangrove to gardens to dry scrub.
Behaviour
Feeds mainly on insects and spiders.
In Australia, breeding season is mainly August to January. The nest is a cup made of twigs, grass, plant stems and other material. It's usually placed around 3m above the ground. Lays 2 - 3 eggs. Brood parasitism by Pallid Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo and Brush Cuckoo reported.
Resident species. Some Australian populations known to make altitudinal movements.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
- Simpson, K and N Day. 1998. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-4877-5
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Golden Whistler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Golden_Whistler
