Copperback quail-thrush explained

The copperback quail-thrush (Cinclosoma clarum) is a species of bird in the family Cinclosomatidae. It was split from the chestnut quail-thrush in 2015.^[1] It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation.

Subspecies

• C. c. clarum: little to no sexual dimorphism.^[2] They tend to be brown with rust-colored back bands.
• C. c. fordianum: does exhibit sexual dimorphism. Males are gray with dark brown streaks; females are usually brownish-gray with similar patterning. Some females have a faint, narrow back band, and some have none at all.

Notes and References

1. Dolman. Gaynor. Joseph, Leo. 2015. Evolutionary history of birds across southern Australia: structure, history and taxonomic implications of mitochondrial DNA diversity in an ecologically diverse suite of species. Emu. 115. 1. 35–48. 10.1071/MU14047.
2. McElroy . Kerensa . Black . Andrew . Dolman . Gaynor . Horton . Philippa . Pedler . Lynn . Campbell . Catriona D. . Drew . Alex . Joseph . Leo . 2020-05-31 . Robbery in progress: Historical museum collections bring to light a mitochondrial capture within a bird species widespread across southern Australia, the Copperback Quail‐thrush Cinclosoma clarum . Ecology and Evolution . 10 . 13 . 6785–6793 . 10.1002/ece3.6403 . 2045-7758. 7381587 .