White-throated Fiji Whistler
Pachycephala vitiensis
A brightly colored songbird with a bright golden belly, a white throat, a black hood and chest band, and an olive upperside and wings. Female is dull overall, with brown upperparts, pale belly, off-white throat, and no breast band. Endemic to southern and central Fiji, where mostly inhabits mature forest, but also secondary growth. Song consists of a short but melodic whistled series. Formerly treated as part of more broadly-defined “Fiji Whistler” alongside Yellow-throated Fiji Whistler.
Identification
The white-throated Fiji whistler (Pachycephala vitiensis) is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae, endemic to islands in southern Fiji. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the yellow-throated Fiji whistler (Pachycephala graeffii). Before the split the combined species were known as the "Fiji whistler".
Taxonomy
Genus: Pachycephala; Family: Pachycephalidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Pachycephala vitiensis
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pachycephalidae
- Genus
- Pachycephala
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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Tapaculos are small, plump, short-tailed, mostly gray birds that are as sneaky as mice. Silvery-fronted is the only tapaculo in its range, and the male has a distinctive whitish eyebrow. Also look for browner flanks with dark bars. Females don’t have the white eyebrow but are still distinctive in range because of the overall dark color and extremely furtive habits. Rarely seen well; stays on or near the ground in the forest understory. Listen for the song: a series of chips starting off fast, gradually getting slower and louder.
Pere David's Laughingthrush
Pterorhinus davidi
A plain clay-brown laughingthrush with a long, curved yellow bill. Largely without distinguishing plumage features, but note weak white brow, blue-gray tinge to the wings, and small black patches on the “elbow” and face. The only laughingthrush in much of its range. Forages in hilly and montane regions, where it often moves about noisily in medium-sized flocks in scrubby, brushy habitat, often near waterways. Long rambling song melodious and thrush-like; calls include fluid whistles, nasal chattering, and quiet peeping.
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