Notes on the vocalizations of White-bibbed Babbler (Stachyris thoracica)

In the following we briefly analyze and compare voice of the two races of White-bibbed Babbler (Stachyris thoracica). We also try to quantify the extent of any vocal differences using the criteria proposed by Tobias et al. (2010), as a support for taxonomic review. We have made use of sound recordings available on-line from Xeno Canto (XC) and Macaulay Library (ML).

Most diagnostic vocalization is a long churr. Examples from W Java (thoracica) and C Java, Mt. Merapi (race orientalis ???)(illustrated with sonograms in the pdf version of this note)

Also shorter rattles: Exammples from W Java (thoracica) and E Java (orientalis).

There are few recordings available, especially of race orientalis, but based on present evidence we can only conclude that there are no clear vocal differences.

This note was finalized on 7th April 2016, using sound recordings available on-line at that moment. We would like to thank in particular the sound recordists who placed their recordings for this species on XC and ML: Heru Cahyono, David Edwards, Frank Lambert, Mike Nelson, Bas van Balen and Arnoud van den Berg.

References

Tobias, J.A., Seddon, N., Spottiswoode, C.N., Pilgrim, J.D., Fishpool, L.D.C. & Collar, N.J. (2010). Quantitative criteria for species delimitation. Ibis 152(4): 724–746.

More Information: on265_white-bibbed_babbler.pdf