Whistlers (Pachycephalidae)
Variable Pitohui (Pitohui kirhocephalus) - HBW 12, p. 433
French: Pitohui variable
German: Ockerpitohui
Spanish: Pitohuí Variable
Other common names: Greater Wood-shrike/Pitohui
Taxonomy: Lanius kirhocephalus Lesson and Garnot, 1827, Dorey, Vogelkop, New Guinea.
Considerable geographical variation, with many named races and areas of intergradation between adjacent forms; races fall into several groups based mainly on colour of head, throat and breast, but complicated by sexual dimorphism in some populations and much individual variation. Proposed race salvadorii (from W coast of Geelvink Bay) represents an intergrade population. Twenty subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- cerviniventris (G. R. Gray, 1862) - N West Papuan Is (Waigeo, Gemien).
- pallidus van Oort, 1907 - Batanta I and Sagewin I.
- uropygialis ( G. R. Gray, 1862) - S West Papuan Is (Salawati, Misool).
- cerviniventris (G. R. Gray, 1862) - N West Papuan Is (Waigeo, Gemien).
- pallidus van Oort, 1907 - Batanta I and Sagewin I.
- uropygialis ( G. R. Gray, 1862) - S West Papuan Is (Salawati, Misool).
- tibialis (Sharpe, 1877) - NW New Guinea (W half of Vogelkop).
- kirhocephalus (Lesson & Garnot, 1827) - NE coast of Vogelkop (S to Momi).
- dohertyi Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1903 - NW New Guinea (Wandammen District and adjacent islands).
- rubiensis (A. B. Meyer, 1884) - NW New Guinea (head of Geelvink Bay).
- brunneivertex Rothschild, 1931 - SE coast of Geelvink Bay.
- jobiensis (A. B. Meyer, 1874) - islands in NE Geelvink Bay (Yapen I, Kurudu I).
- meyeri Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1903 - N coast of New Guinea from R Mamberano E to R Tami.
- senex Stresemann, 1922 - upper Sepik Valley (N New Guinea).
- brunneicaudus (A. B. Meyer, 1891) - NE New Guinea from lower R Sepik E to upper R Ramu.
- decipiens ( Salvadori, 1878) - Onin Peninsula, in SW New Guinea.
- adiensis Mees, 1964 - Adi I (off S coast of Bomberai Peninsula).
- stramineipectus van Oort, 1907 - Triton Bay district of SW New Guinea.
- carolinae Junge, 1952 - Etna Bay.
- aruensis (Sharpe, 1877) - Aru Is.
- nigripectus van Oort, 1909 - S New Guinea from R Mimika E to upper R Eilanden.
- brunneiceps ( D’Albertis & Salvadori, 1879) - S New Guinea from R Fly E to Gulf of Papua.
- meridionalis (Sharpe, 1888) - SE New Guinea E from Chads Bay and Yule I district.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A perched bird.
Locality Taja, Jayapura Regency, West Papua (Indonesia), New Guinea (ssp cerviniventris)
mehdhalaouate 10 September 2006 3 years ago 3.8 -
A bird perched on a branch.
Locality Nimbokrang Forest, West Papua (Indonesia), New Guinea (ssp meyeri)
Carmelo López 18 October 2012 28 weeks ago 3.8
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Oriole like but harder in song Locality Wewak, East Sepik, Papua New Guinea (mainland), New Guinea
(ssp brunneicaudus)
Niels Poul Dreyer 29 July 1990 3 years ago 4.8
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