Maluro del Mallee

Identificación

The mallee emu-wren is an average 16.5 centimetres (6.5 inches) from head to tail. The adult male mallee emu-wren has olive-brown upperparts with dark streaks, and a pale rufous unstreaked crown, and grey-brown wings. It has a sky blue throat, upper chest, lores, and ear coverts. The lores and ear coverts are streaked with black, and there is white streaking under the eye. Though still long, the tail is not as long as in other emu-wrens, and is composed of six filamentous feathers, the central two of which are longer than the lateral ones. The underparts are pale brown. The bill is black, and the feet and eyes are brown. The female resembles the male but lacks blue plumage. Its crown is paler red and it has white lores. Its bill is dark brown. The mallee emu-wren moults yearly after breeding, and birds have only the one plumage. The most recognizable and identifiable feature is the six emu-like feathers on its tail. This feature is highly distinguishable from other species found in its home range.

Taxonomía

The mallee emu-wren is one of three species of the genus Stipiturus, commonly known as emu-wrens. Within the genus, the mallee emu-wren and the rufous crowned emu-wren are sister species.<p>It was first described in 1908 by Archibald James Campbell on the basis of a male specimen sent to him by C.H. McLennan from the Mallee district. Campbell thought that it was an intermediate form between the southern and rufous-crowned emu-wren and described as Stipiturus mallee. It was later treated as a subspecies of both the southern and rufous-crowned emu-wren, and as a separate species, though biochemical data supports its placement as a separate species.<p>The species is monotypic, with no recognised subspecies.<p>The common name of the genus is derived from the resemblance of their tails to the feathers of an emu. The scientific name of the genus comes from the Latin stipitus (stem) and Greek oura (tail), while the specific epithet comes from the aboriginal name for a type of eucalyptus scrub.

Nombre científico

Stipiturus mallee

Autoridad

Campbell, AJ, 1908

Orden

Passeriformes

Familia

Maluridae

Género

Stipiturus

Distribución y hábitat

The mallee emu-wren is restricted to open mallee woodland with spinifex understory in north-western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. This region is rich in Triodia or as it is commonly known spinifex. The spinifex grass often grows to 1 metre (3 feet 3 inches) in height and provides the optimal habitat for the mallee emu-wren. Formerly classified as a vulnerable species by the IUCN, recent research shows that its numbers are decreasing more and more rapidly. It is consequently uplisted to endangered status in 2008. The mallee emu-wren is listed as nationally endangered under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The current estimated total population size is approximately 4,000 birds. Although this species is widely dispersed throughout the Murray Sunset Reserve its home ranges are patchy throughout the 488 square kilometres (188 square miles) reserve. Recent studies have concluded that the species is more widespread than previously thought. However, the species is much rarer in the southern regions of the preserve. Their dispersion is heavily connected to the prevalence of hummocks formed by grass-like plants of the genus Triodia. This biotic factor is of the most influence in the dispersion of mallee emu-wren.

Migración

Especie residente

Comportamiento

Patrón migratorio: Especie residente.

Conservación

Tendencia poblacional: en declive.

Tendencia poblacional

en declive