Black-throated whipbird explained

The black-throated whipbird (Psophodes nigrogularis) is a passerine bird found in several scattered populations in Southwest Australia. It is predominantly olive green in colour. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the white-bellied whipbird (Psophodes leucogaster), so shares the common name "western whipbird".

Taxonomy

The black-throated whipbird was described by the English ornithologist John Gould in 1844 and given its current binomial name Psophodes nigrogularis.^[1]

Two subspecies are recognised.^[2] Both are under threat to some degree.

• Psophodes nigrogularis nigrogularis: (Endangered) The western heath subspecies is now restricted to a small patch east of Albany, having disappeared from large parts of its range due to land clearance.^[3]
• P. n. oberon: (Rare) The western mallee subspecies is found in scattered populations between the Stirling Ranges and Ravensthorpe. It is apparently common in the Fitzgerald River National Park.^[4]

The white-bellied whipbird (Psophodes leucogaster) was formerly treated as conspecific with the black-throated whipbird. It was promoted to species status based on an analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences published in 2017.^[5] The Clements Checklist refers to this species with the common name western whipbird (black-throated) to distinguish it from P. leucogaster (white-bellied).^[6]

Description

The black-throated whipbird is a slim bird some in length. It is predominantly olive green with a black throat and a narrow white cheek-patch edged with black on its face. It has a small crest and a long dark olive-green tail tipped with white, its underparts are a paler olive colour. The bill is black with blackish feet. Juveniles are a duller olive-brown in colour and lack the white cheek stripes and dark throat.^[7]

Breeding

Breeding occurs in spring. The nest is a bowl of twigs and sticks lined with softer material such as grasses, located in shrubs or trees less than above the ground. A clutch of two eggs, pale blue with blackish splotches and spots, measuring, is laid.^[8]

Sources

• Garnett, S. (1993) Threatened and Extinct Birds Of Australia. Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. National Library, Canberra.

Notes and References

1. Book: Gould, John . John Gould . 1844 . The Birds of Australia . self . London . 3 . Plate 16 and text .
2. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . 2018 . Australasian babblers, logrunners, satinbirds, painted berrypeckers, wattlebirds, whipbirds . World Bird List Version 8.1 . International Ornithologists' Union . July 4, 2018.
3. Garnett. p158
4. Garnett. p159
5. Burbidge . A.H. . Joseph . L. . Toon . A. . White . L.C. . McGuire . A. . Austin . J.J. . 2017 . A case for realigning species limits in the southern Australian whipbirds long recognised as the Western Whipbird (Psophodes nigrogularis) . Emu . 117 . 3 . 254–263 . 10.1080/01584197.2017.1313685 . 2017EmuAO.117..254B . 90267260 .
6. Web site: Clements Checklist: Updates & Corrections – August 2017 Clements Checklist . www.birds.cornell.edu . Cornell University . 6 July 2018 . en.
7. Book: Simpson K, Day N, Trusler P . Field Guide to the Birds of Australia . Viking O'Neil . 1993 . Ringwood, Victoria . 392 . 0-670-90478-3.
8. Book: Beruldsen, G . Australian Birds: Their Nests and Eggs . self . 2003 . Kenmore Hills, Qld . 346 . 0-646-42798-9.