Rusty pitohui
| Rusty pitohui | |
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| Illustration by William Matthew Hart | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Pachycephalidae |
| Genus: | Pseudorectes |
| Species: | P. ferrugineus
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| Binomial name | |
| Pseudorectes ferrugineus (Bonaparte, 1850)
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| Subspecies | |
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See text | |
| Synonyms | |
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The rusty pitohui (Pseudorectes ferrugineus) is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae. It is found throughout the lowlands of the Aru Islands and New Guinea.
Taxonomy and systematics[edit]
The rusty pitohui was originally classified within the genus Rectes (a synonym for the genus Pitohui) until moved to Pseudorectes by the IOC in 2013.[2] Alternatively, some other authorities classify the rusty pitohui in the genus Colluricincla. Alternate names for the rusty pitohui include the ferrugineous pitohui and rusty shrike-thrush.
Subspecies[edit]
_-_Pachycephalidae_-_bird_skin_specimen.jpeg)
Six subspecies are recognized:[3]
- P. f. leucorhynchus - (Gray, GR, 1862): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Rectes. Found on Waigeo (off western New Guinea)
- P. f. fuscus - (Greenway, 1966): Found on Batanta (off western New Guinea)
- P. f. brevipennis - (Hartert, 1896): Found on Aru Islands (off south-western New Guinea)
- P. f. ferrugineus - (Bonaparte, 1850): Found on Misool and Salawati (off south-western New Guinea) and north-western New Guinea
- P. f. holerythrus - (Salvadori, 1878): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Rectes. Found on Yapen (off north-western New Guinea) and north-central New Guinea
- P. f. clarus - (Meyer, AB, 1894): Found in eastern and southern New Guinea
Description[edit]
The rusty pitohui is a medium-sized, approximately 28 cm long, rusty brown songbird with a strong black bill, pale iris and yellowish-buff below. The subspecies P. f. leucorhynchus and P. f. fuscus of Waigeo and Batanta islands off Western New Guinea have a whitish bill. It is the largest member of its family. Both sexes are similar.
Distribution and habitat[edit]
The rusty pitohui is distributed and endemic to lowland and hill forests of New Guinea, Aru Island and West Papuan islands.
Behaviour and ecology[edit]
The rusty pitohui is usually seen in small parties, mixed with other gregarious species. It builds a deep, cup-shaped nest of sticks, leaves and stems in a fork of a tree.
Status[edit]
Widespread and common throughout its habitat range, the rusty pitohui is evaluated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b BirdLife International (2018). "Pseudorectes ferrugineus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22705583A130391308. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22705583A130391308.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ "IOC World Bird List 3.4". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.3.4.
- ^ "IOC World Bird List 6.3". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.6.3.