The Mallee whipbird (Psophodes leucogaster leucogaster) is a terrestrial bird that inhabits dense habitats in mallee ecosystems of south-eastern Australia. It is a rare and elusive subspecies that is more often heard than seen.[2]
| Mallee whipbird | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Psophodidae |
| Genus: | Psophodes |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | P. l. leucogaster
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| Trinomial name | |
| Psophodes leucogaster leucogaster Howe & Ross, 1933[1]
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Taxonomy
editThe Mallee whipbird is a member of the family Psophididae. The taxonomic history of the Mallee whipbird is complicated and has at times been controversial.[3] It was previously treated as a subspecies of the Western whipbird;[4] however, based on more recent morphological and mitochondrial DNA analysis, it is currently accepted as a subspecies of the white-bellied whipbird and a sister taxon to the Kangaroo Island whipbird.[5][6][7]
Distribution
editThe Mallee whipbird is endemic to coastal and inland areas of mainland southern South Australia (SA) and north-western Victoria (Vic). The subspecies is thought to consist of four highly disjunct subpopulations[8] centred on:
- southern Yorke Peninsula (SA);
- southern Eyre Peninsula (SA);
- Billiatt Conservation Park in the eastern Murray Mallee region of SA; and
- Ngarkat Conservation Park in the eastern Murray Mallee region of SA and Big Desert Wilderness Park in north-western Vic.
These subpopulations are largely confined to protected areas; however, it is estimated that there is enough suitable habitat on private land on the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas to facilitate sufficient dispersal to be considered a single continuous subpopulation.[9]
The two eastern-most subpopulations are estimated to be very small[10] and the subspecies was previously thought to be locally extinct in Ngarkat Conservation Park and north-western Victoria until surveys in late 2022 confirmed the presence of the subspecies.[10][11] Whilst known to historically occur in Billiatt Conservation Park, the surveys undertaken in 2022 did not detect any individuals and this subpopulation is not thought to be locally extinct.[10]
Description
editThe Mallee whipbird is a medium-sized bird that is 20-25 cm in length with a wing span of 24-26.5 cm and a mass of approximately 43 - 47 g.[12] It has a short, grey-brown, triangular erectile crest on the forehead that is often raised in alarm.[2] The bill in adults is grey-brown, stout and slightly decurved, measuring 13-14 mm in length.[13] Nestings and juveniles have a darkish-grey bill with a pale yellow cutting-edge (tomium).[2] The legs are long, slender and dark-grey in colour[2] and the wings are short and elliptical[2] allowing for short bursts of high speed and manoeuvring through dense vegetation when seeking cover. Upper- and lowerparts are mostly dull olive to olive-grey and greyish-brown blending into a prominent white submoustachial stripe on each cheek, a broad white stripe down the breast and belly and a black chin and throat.[12] The tail is long, graudated and fan-shaped when spread, with a rounded tip and rectrices that have a black subterminal band and white tips.[2] The eye is dull red with a narrow grey eye-ring.[8]
Juveniles are uniformly olive-grey-brown and are separable from adults in that they lack the black and white colouring on the cheeks, chin and throat and have a rudimentary crest.[12] Immatures are thought to closely resemble adults within 3 months of fledging but retain juvenile remiges, coverts and rectrices.[13]
The Mallee whipbird does not display sexual dimorphism nor seasonal variation in plumage.[13]
Vocalisation
editThe Mallee whipbird has a loud and distinctive song that is often the only indication of its presence.[citation needed] It has been reported that the song can be audible up to 800 m away.[10] The Mallee whipbird does not produce the typical loud, whip-crack' call of the Eastern whipbird (Psophodes olivaceus)[8] but rather a loud, repetitive, metallic-sounding reel that has been likened to the sound of a squeaking gate.[9] Male and female pair members frequently engage in an antiphonal duet, each with their own song - males producing a series of grating whistles and females having a shorter and less varying song.[8] Males will defend their territory by engaging in calling periods of up to 15 minutes in duration.[14] Singing birds occasionally perch in the open but retreat to cover immediately upon disturbance and remain concealed at the base of dense vegetation.[12] When alarmed, individuals will produce various scolding calls and chucks.[8]
References
edit- ^ Howe, F.E.; Ross, J.A. (1933). "On the Occurrence of Psophodes nigrogularis in Victoria". Emu. 32 (3): 133–148. Bibcode:1933EmuAO..32..133H. doi:10.1071/MU932133.
- ^ a b c d e f Higgins, P.J.; Peters, J.M., eds. (2002). "Psophodes nigrogularis Western Whipbird". Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds. Volume 6: Pardalotes to shrike-thrushes. Oxford University Press. pp. 929–941.
- ^ Christidis, L.; Boles, W. (2008). Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 9780643065116.
- ^ Schodde, R. &; Mason, I.J. (1991). "Subspeciation in the Western Whipbird Psophodes nigrogularis and its Zoogeographical Significance, with Descriptions of Two New Subspecies". Emu - Austral Ornithology. 91 (3): 133–144. Bibcode:1991EmuAO..91..133S. doi:10.1071/MU9910133.
- ^ Schodde, R. &; Mason, I.J. (1999). The Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines. CSIRO Publishing. pp. 464–466. ISBN 9780643100862.
- ^ Toon, A.; Joseph, L. &; Burbidge, A.H. (2013). "Genetic analysis of the Australian whipbirds and wedgebills illuminates the evolution of their plumage and vocal diversity". Emu - Austral Ornithology. 113 (4): 359–366. Bibcode:2013EmuAO.113..359T. doi:10.1071/MU13005.
- ^ Burbidge, A.H.; Joseph, L.; Toon, A.; White, L.C.; McGuire, A. &; Austin, J.J. (217). "A case for realigning species limits in the southern Australian whipbirds long recognised as the Western Whipbird (Psophodes nigrogularis)". Emu - Austral Ornithology. 117 (3): 254–263. Bibcode:2017EmuAO.117..254B. doi:10.1080/01584197.2017.1313685.
- ^ a b c d e Higgins, P.J. &; Peters, J.M (eds.). "Psophodes nigrogularis Western Whipbird". Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds. Volume 6: Pardalotes to shrike-thrushes. Oxford University Press. pp. 929–941.
- ^ a b Verdon, J.S.; Hodder, G.; Hedger, C.; Ireland, L.; Clarke, R.H.; Todd, M.K.; Wilkins, P.; Carpenter, G.A.; Boulton, R.H.; Menkhorst, P.W; Garnett, D.T. (2021). "Mallee Whipbird Psophodes nigrogularis leucogaster". In Garnett, S.T.; Baker, G.B. (eds.). The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020. CSIRO Publishing. pp. 716–719. ISBN 9781486311927.
- ^ a b c d Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (2023). "Consultation Document on Listing Eligibility - Psophodes leucogaster subsp. leucogaster (mallee whipbird)". Psophodes leucogaster subsp. leucogaster (mallee whipbird). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "White-bellied whipbird, presumed extinct, rediscovered in arid north-west Victoria". Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 12 November 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d Menkhorst, P.; Rogers, D.; Clarke, R.H.; Davies, J.; Marsack, P.; Franklin, K. (2019). The Australian Bird Guide. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 9781486311934.
- ^ a b c Australian Bird Study Association (2020). "Bird in the Hand (2nd Edition) - Australia". Australian Bird Study Association.
- ^ Webster, H.O. (1966). "The Western Whipbird at Two People Bay". Western Australian Naturalist. 10 (2): 25–28.