Green-backed Whistler
Pachycephala albiventris
A fairly small bird of forest from the lowlands to middle elevations in the mountains. Olive-green on the head, back, wings, and tail. Gray on the chest with a slightly streaked throat, a whitish belly, and pale yellow under the base of the tail. Note the fairly thick bill. Similar to Ashy-breasted Flycatcher, but smaller, with a thicker bill. Song is a typical whistler-like melody including some explosive, upslurred “whip!” or downslurred “piuu!” notes.
Taxonomy
Formerly, some authorities considered the green-backed whistler to be a subspecies of the mangrove whistler.<p>Three subspecies are recognized:
- Scientific name
- Pachycephala albiventris
- Authority
- (Ogilvie-Grant, 1894)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pachycephalidae
- Genus
- Pachycephala
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Burmese Yuhina
Yuhina humilis
Relatively nondescript brown yuhina without any significant patches of warm coloration. Note broken white eyering, silvery nape, and black moustache. Distinguished from Moustached Yuhina by a fairly uniform crest, lightly streaked throat throat, gray flanks, and brown ear coverts. Forages in pairs and small flocks in foothill and montane forests. Gives “chuck” and chip calls when moving in flocks.
Pied Currawong
Strepera graculina
Large, black, crow-sized bird with large black bill and yellow eyes. In flight, white rump (most subspecies), undertail, tail tip, and primary bases distinctive. Gray Currawong lacks white rump and has narrow pale trailing edge to wing. Smaller Australian Magpie extensively white in upperparts. Common in woodlands and parks, foraging singly, in pairs, or groups from ground level to treetops. Variably fluting song that may sound a bit like “curr-a-wong.”
Clapperton's Spurfowl
Pternistis clappertoni
A medium-sized, pale francolin with large patches of red bare skin around the eyes. Heavily marked with black and pale buff on the back, neck, and underparts. Found locally in a variety of savanna habitats and adjacent agricultural areas, often in pairs or small groups. Separated from most other francolins by the red facial skin. Similar to Harwood’s Francolin, but much paler overall, with a mostly black rather than red bill. The call is a rough “kreeya” that is repeated several times.
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