Oriole Whistler
Encyclopedia
The Oriole Whistler also known as the Yellow-throated Whistler (leading to easy confusion with the Banda Sea Whistler
), is a species of bird
in the Pachycephalidae
family, which is endemic to the Solomon Islands
, and the islands of Bougainville
and Buka
in far eastern Papua New Guinea
. It is variably considered a subspecies
of a widespread Golden Whistler
(P. pectoralis) or treated as a separate species, but strong published evidence in favour of either treatment is limited, and further study is warranted to resolve the complex taxonomic situation.
Even if recognized as a separate species, the Oriole Whistler includes several very different subspecies, though the males are united by their yellow throat. A notable exception is feminina from Rennell Island
where the plumage
of the male is female-like, and it has been suggested it should be treated as a separate monotypic
species, though no major taxonomic authority recognize this at present. The Oriole Whistler is found throughout the Solomons, except in the Santa Cruz Islands
where the males are white-throated (populations from southern part of this island group are associated with the Melanesian Whistler, P. caledonica, while those from the northern and central part are associated with the White-throated Whistler
, P. vitiensis).
Banda Sea Whistler
The Banda Sea Whistler , also known as the Yellow-throated Whistler , is a species of bird in the Pachycephalidae family...
), is a species of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Pachycephalidae
Pachycephalidae
The family Pachycephalidae, collectively the whistlers, includes the whistlers, shrike-thrushes, shrike-tits, pitohuis and Crested Bellbird, and is part of the ancient Australo-Papuan radiation of songbirds. Its members range from small to medium in size, and occupy most of Australasia...
family, which is endemic to the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, and the islands of Bougainville
Bougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
and Buka
Buka Island
Buka Island is the second largest island in the Papua New Guinean province of Bougainville.- History :Buka was first occupied by humans in paleolithic times, some 30,000 years ago...
in far eastern Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. It is variably considered a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of a widespread Golden Whistler
Golden Whistler
The Australian Golden Whistler is a species of bird found in forest, woodland, mallee, mangrove and scrub in Australia and in mountain forest in the Snow Mountains in the Papua Province of Indonesia. Most populations are resident, but some in south-eastern Australia migrate north during the winter...
(P. pectoralis) or treated as a separate species, but strong published evidence in favour of either treatment is limited, and further study is warranted to resolve the complex taxonomic situation.
Even if recognized as a separate species, the Oriole Whistler includes several very different subspecies, though the males are united by their yellow throat. A notable exception is feminina from Rennell Island
Rennell Island
Rennell Island, locally known as Mungava, is the main island of two inhabited islands that make up the Rennell and Bellona Province in the Solomon Islands. Rennell Island has a land area of that is about long and wide. It is the second largest raised coral atoll in the world with the largest lake...
where the plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
of the male is female-like, and it has been suggested it should be treated as a separate monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
species, though no major taxonomic authority recognize this at present. The Oriole Whistler is found throughout the Solomons, except in the Santa Cruz Islands
Santa Cruz Islands
The Santa Cruz Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands. They lie approximately 250 miles to the southeast of the Solomon Islands Chain...
where the males are white-throated (populations from southern part of this island group are associated with the Melanesian Whistler, P. caledonica, while those from the northern and central part are associated with the White-throated Whistler
White-throated Whistler
The White-throated Whistler is a species of bird in the Pachycephalidae family, which is endemic to Fiji and the Solomons . It is variably considered a subspecies of a widespread P...
, P. vitiensis).