Sittellas (Neosittidae)
Varied Sittella (Daphoenositta chrysoptera) - HBW 12, p. 640
French: Néositte variée
German: Spiegelkleiber
Spanish: Neosita Variable
Other common names: Black-capped Sittella (pileata); Orange-winged Sittella (chrysoptera); Striated Sittella (striata); White-headed Sittella (leucocephala); White-winged Sittella (leucoptera); Papuan/Mountain Sittella (New Guinea races); Pied Sittella (“albata”)
Taxonomy: Sitta chrysoptera Latham, 1801, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Formerly placed in a separate genus, Neositta. Australian races in past treated as five separate species, but each hybridizes and backcrosses with adjacent races; New Guinea races have been treated together as representing a further, distinct species (D. papuensis). Described form albata, known only from 19th-century specimens from NE Australia (E Queensland), considered an intergrade; other proposed races from Queensland include rothschildi (NE area, S to Cairns) and magnirostris (Inkerman area), both synonymized with nominate, as also is lathami (fr.. View all taxonomy...
Formerly placed in a separate genus, Neositta. Australian races in past treated as five separate species, but each hybridizes and backcrosses with adjacent races; New Guinea races have been treated together as representing a further, distinct species (D. papuensis). Described form albata, known only from 19th-century specimens from NE Australia (E Queensland), considered an intergrade; other proposed races from Queensland include rothschildi (NE area, S to Cairns) and magnirostris (Inkerman area), both synonymized with nominate, as also is lathami (from E Victoria); lumholtzi (Rockhampton area of E Queensland) is treated as a synonym of leucocephala. Eleven subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- papuensis ( Schlegel, 1871) - mountains of Vogelkop Peninsula, in W New Guinea.
- alba ( Rand, 1940) - Foya Mts, N of R Idenburg, in N New Guinea.
- intermedia ( Junge, 1952) - W end of Snow Mts (Wissel Lakes area), in WC New Guinea.
- papuensis ( Schlegel, 1871) - mountains of Vogelkop Peninsula, in W New Guinea.
- alba ( Rand, 1940) - Foya Mts, N of R Idenburg, in N New Guinea.
- intermedia ( Junge, 1952) - W end of Snow Mts (Wissel Lakes area), in WC New Guinea.
- toxopeusi ( Rand, 1940) - Snow Mts, in WC New Guinea.
- wahgiensis ( Gyldenstolpe, 1955) - Central Highlands (Mt Hagen-Wahgi Valley), in EC New Guinea.
- albifrons ( E. P. Ramsay, 1883) - mountains of SE New Guinea.
- leucoptera ( Gould, 1840) - CN Australia from NE Western Australia (Kimberley region) E to SE head of Gulf of Carpentaria, S to Great Sandy Desert (in W) and about Tropic of Capricorn (in E).
- pileata ( Gould, 1838) - C & S Western Australia (N to S Great Sandy Desert) E through S Northern Territory and South Australia to far SW Queensland, W New South Wales and NW Victoria.
- striata ( Gould, 1869) - NE Australia from Cape York S to R Burdekin, in NC Queensland.
- leucocephala ( Gould, 1838) - CE Australia from R Burdekin S to Queensland-New South Wales border, and inland to Great Dividing Range.
- chrysoptera ( Latham, 1801) - SE Australia from SC Queensland S through E New South Wales and E Victoria.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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An adult bird examining its nest for ants and parasites. Locality East O’Malley, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp chrysoptera)
Geoffrey Dabb 31 October 2003 4 years ago 25 sec 4.7 -
A nestling being attended by an adult Locality East O’Malley, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp chrysoptera)
Geoffrey Dabb 31 October 2003 4 years ago 1 min 11 sec 4.6 -
A bird climbing and feeding, then another one comming. Locality South Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp chrysoptera)
Geoffrey Dabb 30 June 2006 4 years ago 32 sec 4.6 -
Two members of a breeding family group building a nest simultaneously. Locality Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park, Chiltern, Victoria, Australia (ssp chrysoptera)
Josep del Hoyo 25 October 2009 1 year ago 1 min 4.2 -
An adult arranging its nest Locality Campbell Park, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp chrysoptera)
Nick Talbot 10 December 2005 5 years ago 19 sec 4.1 -
Two birds building a nest. Locality Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park, Chiltern, Victoria, Australia (ssp chrysoptera)
Josep del Hoyo 25 October 2009 1 year ago 1 min 25 sec 4
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Adult bird perched on side of tree ( indicative of this birds behaviour) showing wing pattern
Locality Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
David Taylor 1 May 2011 36 weeks ago 4.5 -
Adult bird on branch
Locality Durikai State Forest, Queensland, Australia
David Taylor 1 October 2011 16 weeks ago 4.4 -
Varied sittella collecting spider.
Locality Callum Brae, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Margaret Leggoe 30 January 2011 1 year ago 4.4 -
Bird on side of tree showing wing pattern
Locality Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
David Taylor 1 May 2011 36 weeks ago 4.1 -
Varied sittella family.
Locality Callum Brae, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Margaret Leggoe 30 January 2011 1 year ago 4.1 -
Varied sittella
Locality Callum Brae, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Margaret Leggoe 16 January 2011 1 year ago 3.6
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