Oriole whistler

Oriole whistler
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Pachycephalidae
Genus:	Pachycephala
Species:	P. orioloides
Binomial name
Pachycephala orioloides Pucheran, 1853
Subspecies
See text

The oriole whistler (Pachycephala orioloides), also known as the yellow-throated whistler (leading to easy confusion with Pachycephala macrorhyncha ), is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae, which is endemic to the Solomon Islands (archipelago).

Taxonomy and systematics

It is variably considered a subspecies of a widespread golden whistler (P. pectoralis) or treated as a separate species, but strong published evidence in favour of either treatment is limited, and further study is warranted to resolve the complex taxonomic situation. ^[2] Even if not recognized as a separate species, the oriole whistler includes several very different subspecies, though the males are united by their yellow throat.

Subspecies

Nine subspecies are recognized: ^[3]

• P. o. bougainvillei - Mayr, 1932: Found on Buka, Bougainville and Shortland Islands
• P. o. orioloides - Pucheran, 1853: Found on Choiseul, Malakobi, Santa Isabel and Florida Islands
• P. o. centralis - Mayr, 1932: Found on eastern New Georgia Islands
• P. o. melanoptera - Mayr, 1932: Found on southern New Georgia Islands
• P. o. melanonota - Hartert, 1908: Originally described as a separate species. Found on Ranongga and Vella Lavella
• P. o. pavuvu - Mayr, 1932: Found on Pavuvu
• P. o. sanfordi - Mayr, 1931: Originally described as a separate species. Found on Malaita
• P. o. cinnamomea - (Ramsay, EP, 1879): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Pseudorectes . Found on Beagle Island and Guadalcanal
• P. o. christophori - Tristram, 1879: Originally described as a separate species. Found on Santa Ana and San Cristóbal Island

Distribution

The oriole whistler is found throughout the Solomons, except in the Santa Cruz Islands. ^[2]

References

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Pachycephala orioloides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016 e.T103693418A104273927. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103693418A104273927.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
2. Boles, W. E. (2007). Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis). pp. 421-423 in: del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie, D. eds (2007). Handbook of the Birds of the World . Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN   978-84-96553-42-2
3. "IOC World Bird List 6.3". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi: 10.14344/ioc.ml.6.3 .