Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae)

Varied Honeyeater (Lichenostomus versicolor) - HBW 13, p. 601

French: Méliphage versicolore German: Pirolhonigfresser Spanish: Mielero Versicolor
Other common names: Yellow-streaked Honeyeater

Taxonomy: Ptilotis versicolor Gould, 1843, Cape York Peninsula, north-east Queensland, Australia.
Forms a superspecies with L. virescens and L. fasciogularis. Previously considered conspecific with former; has sometimes been considered conspecific with latter, with which it apparently hybridizes to limited extent in S of range (near Townsville). In New Guinea, other proposed races are intermedius (originally described from Samarai I, off SE coast) and vulgaris (described from Finschhafen, in Huon Peninsula), both synonymized with sonoroides but perhaps worthy of recognition; further study required. Two subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

sonoroides (G. R. Gray, 1862) - West Papuan Is (Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, Schildpad, Misool), and patchily coastal N New Guinea from Vogelkop E (including cities of Lae and Madang) to Milne Bay, and associated offshore islands of Yapen (in Geelvink Bay), Fergusson (in D’Entrecasteaux Is) and other islands off SE peninsula (including Killerton, Samarai and Doini).
versicolor (Gould, 1843) - coastal S New Guinea from Merauke E (including some islands, e.g. Wallai I) at least to Port Moresby and probably farther (to Milne Bay); islands of Torres Strait (including Boigu, Saibai, Daru, Yam and Possession); and NE Australia S in coastal NE Queensland (including islands of Great Barrier Reef) to Townsville.