Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis) - HBW 12, p. 421

Taxonomy: M[uscicapa] pectoralis Latham, 1801, Port Jackson, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
A member of a species group that includes also P. orpheus, P. nudigula, P. meyeri, P. soror, P. lorentzi, P. schlegelii, P. implicata, P. caledonica, P. jacquinoti, P. flavifrons, P. melanura and P. aurea. Formerly treated as conspecific with one or more of those, especially P. caledonica, P. jacquinoti and P. melanura. Provides one of the most complex examples of geographical variation in the avian world; more than 70 geographical races have been named, on basis mainly of variation in overall size and bill size, and numerous plumage characters of both males (including colour of crown, back, throat and tail, and presence and/or colour of hindneck-collar and breastband) and females (variation more subtle, involves primarily amount of yellow or olive in plumage). Last major revision, as long ago as mid-1950s, identified eight groups of races (A-H), circumscribed broadly as follows: A, Lesser Sunda Is (“fulvotincta group”); B, Moluccas (“mentalis group”); C, Solomon Is (“orioloides group”); D, Fiji (“vitiensis group”); E, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago and N Australia (“citreogaster group”); F, S Australia (“nominate group”); G, S Melanesia (New Caledonia, Loyalty Is, New Hebrides, Banks Is) (now an expanded P. caledonica); H, widespread (S Moluccas and Timor E through SE New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Santa Cruz Is, Fiji and Tonga). First seven groups (A-G), which occupy discrete areas, are regarded as earlier colonizations; members of group H, considered to be a second wave of colonizers, are more uniform in appearance, with plumages that could be considered “typical” form for the species, characteristic of Australian populations. In several areas, members of Group H meet those of other groups, often hybridizing; also, races with distinctive plumage are connected with more “typical” ones by intermediate populations. Has been proposed to split present species into several species, elevating many of these groups to species rank (each often incorporating local members of group H); moreover, Rennell race feminina (in S Solomon Is), has been proposed as a separate, sexually monochromatic species. Although all of this may seem feasible, more detailed assessment of all the factors is required, and further study is warranted. In addition, other named races include: in Lesser Sundas jubilarii (Lomblen E to Alor), merged with fulvotincta, and arthuri (Wetar), merged with calliope; in S Moluccas alfurorum (Seram), synonymized with macrorhyncha; and in Australia occidentalis (SW Western Australia), merged with fuliginosa, and queenslandica (region of Big Tableland, in NE Queensland) and ashbyi (S Queensland, extreme N New South Wales), both synonymized with nominate. Fifty-nine subspecies currently recognized.