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Golden-backed Whistler Pachycephala aurea Scientific name definitions

Walter E. Boles
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2007

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Introduction

This account summarizes the life history of the Golden-backed Whistler, including information relating to its identification, systematics, distribution, habitat, diet, vocalizations, breeding ecology, and conservation status.

Identification

15–17 cm. Has crown, side of head and neck black, back, rump and uppertail-coverts yellow, upperwing and tail black; chin and side of throat black, centre of throat white, broad black breastband, remainder of underparts yellow; iris brown; bill black; legs dark grey. Sexes alike. Immature is similar to adult, but feathers of crown edged olive, upperparts yellow with olive wash.

Systematics History

Race dahli of P. melanura may be better placed with present species; as name dahli has priority, species would then become “P. dahli”. Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

New Guinea at scattered localities from Weyland Mts and S slopes of Snow Mts E to upper Fly R, Ok Tedi, Telefomin, Nomad R, middle Sepik R, upper Ramu R, L Kopiago, Nembi Valley, and a few localities in mountains of SE (including Garaina and Naoro).

General Habitat

Secondary growth, shrubs, tall canegrass or other vegetation fringing rivers or lakes, mixture of bushes and reedbeds; occasionally in Albizzia trees in tea plantations. Sea-level to 700 m; occasionally higher, to 1300 m at L Kopiago and 1460 m in Nembi Valley.

Movements and Migration

Presumably sedentary.

Diet and Foraging

Insects. Forages mainly at 3–7 m, sometimes higher or lower; behaviour reportedly as that of P. pectoralis.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Musical whistles of steeply modulated pitch, often with explosive finish, “wheet-wheet-wheet-whichew”, “wheet-whot-wheet”, “hee-chiw”, “chiw-wheet”.

Breeding

No information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Locally fairly common to very common. Distribution very patchy.
Distribution of the Golden-backed Whistler - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Golden-backed Whistler

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Boles, W. E. (2020). Golden-backed Whistler (Pachycephala aurea), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.gobwhi1.01
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