• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Where premium quality meets exceptional value. ZEISS Conquest HDX.

Difference between revisions of "Green Figbird" - BirdForum Opus

Page Discussion
View source History
(References updated. Basic minor tidy-up)
(update link)
 
(5 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
'''Disambiguation''': Not to be confused with the [[Australasian Figbird]], where some subspecies often are referred to as the Green Figbird (see also taxonomy).<br />
 
'''Disambiguation''': Not to be confused with the [[Australasian Figbird]], where some subspecies often are referred to as the Green Figbird (see also taxonomy).<br />
 +
 
'''Alternative name: Timor Figbird'''.
 
'''Alternative name: Timor Figbird'''.
−
[[Image:Timor Figbird male.jpg|thumb|400px|right|Photo by {{user|tcollins|tcollins}}<br />Subspecies: ''S. v. flaviventris'' (male), Darwin, NT, [[Australia]]]]       
+
     
 
;[[:Category:Sphecotheres|Sphecotheres]] viridis
 
;[[:Category:Sphecotheres|Sphecotheres]] viridis
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
Line 10: Line 11:
 
*Back and yellow throat and belly
 
*Back and yellow throat and belly
 
====Similar Species====
 
====Similar Species====
−
Essentially unmistakable, but the streaky females and juveniles can be confused with the [[Olive-backed Oriole]], [[Olive-brown Oriole]] and juvenile [[Short-tailed Starling]].   
+
Essentially unmistakable, but the streaked females and juveniles can be confused with the [[Olive-backed Oriole]], [[Timor Oriole]], and juvenile [[Short-tailed Starling]].   
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
−
Eastern Lesser Sundas on [[Timor]] and the nearby islands of Roti and Semau. See also taxonomy.
+
Eastern Lesser Sundas on [[Timor]] and the nearby islands of Rote and Semau. See also taxonomy.
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
−
[[Image:Timor Figbird female.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|tcollins|tcollins}}<br />Subspecies: ''S. v. flaviventris'' (female), Darwin, NT, [[Australia]]]]     
+
This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
−
There are conflicting taxonomic treatments for the figbirds. Previously, ''[[Sphecotheres vieilloti]]'' and ''S. viridis'' were treated as a single widespread species, the Figbird (''Sphecotheres viridis''). Some Australian field guides continue to consider the two a single species, but following Schodde & Mason (1999), which essentially follow Andrew (1992), most current Australian authorities accept the split.
 
  
−
Among the sources that treat these as separate species, there is not an agreement on which subspecies belong to which species; specifically in regards of ''flaviventris''. The problem relates to the background used for the split.
+
In the distant past, all [[:Category:Sphecotheres|Figbirds]] were considered one species. After the split of [[Wetar Figbird]], there was a lot of confusion over which subspecies belonged with Green Figbird and [[Australasian Figbird]], but the main authorities seems to agree now. Therefore, currently there are no birds in Australia that should be named Green Figbird.
−
 
 
−
The first possibility, as recommended by most authorities, incl. the earlier mentioned sources and Howard & Moore, mainly rely on size, zoo-geography and hybridization. Following this taxonomy, ''S. vieilloti'' includes nominate (''S. v. vieilloti''; eastern Australia and southern [[New Guinea]]), ''ashbyi'' (northern Australia) and ''flaviventris'' (northern [[Australia]]), while ''S. viridis'', based on its small size, its green throat and chest, and its isolated distribution, is considered a monotypic species restricted to the eastern Lesser Sundas. On the contrary, Clements base the split on morphology, specifically the colour of the throat and chest in the male. Male ''flaviventris'' has a yellow throat and chest rather similar to the green throat and chest of male ''viridis'', but unlike the grey throat and chest of males ''vieilloti'' and ''ashbyi''. Hence, following this treatment, ''flaviventris'' is considered a subspecies of ''S. viridis'' (i.e. ''S. viridis flaviventris'') rather than a subspecies of ''S. vieilloti'' (i.e. ''S. vieilloti flaviventris''). This, however, is questionable, as ''flaviventris'' interbreeds widely with ''vieilloti'' where their ranges meet in Australia (photo of presumed [http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=102814 hybrid male]), suggesting that ''flaviventris'' is best considered a subspecies of ''S. vieilloti''.
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Forest, woodland and mangrove.
 
Forest, woodland and mangrove.
Line 28: Line 26:
 
It builds a cup-shaped nest from vine tendrils and twigs, attached by rim to a horizontal fork of an outer branch of tall tree.  2-3 eggs are laid.
 
It builds a cup-shaped nest from vine tendrils and twigs, attached by rim to a horizontal fork of an outer branch of tall tree.  2-3 eggs are laid.
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
#Andrew (1992). ''The Birds of Indonesia A Check-list.'' Kukila Check-list No. 1. Indonesian Orn. Soc. Jakarta.
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug19}}#Andrew (1992). ''The Birds of Indonesia A Check-list.'' Kukila Check-list No. 1. Indonesian Orn. Soc. Jakarta.
−
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug14}}#{{Ref-HM03Cor7}}#Schodde & Mason (1999). ''Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines.'' CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 0643064567
+
#{{Ref-HM03Cor7}}#Schodde & Mason (1999). ''Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines.'' CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 0643064567
 
#White & Bruce (1986). ''The Birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas & Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia).'' BOU Check-list Ser. 7: 1-524. London.
 
#White & Bruce (1986). ''The Birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas & Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia).'' BOU Check-list Ser. 7: 1-524. London.
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Sphecotheres+viridis}}
 
{{GSearch|Sphecotheres+viridis}}
−
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Sphecotheres]]
+
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Sphecotheres]] [[Category:Missing Images]]

Latest revision as of 15:23, 20 October 2024

Disambiguation: Not to be confused with the Australasian Figbird, where some subspecies often are referred to as the Green Figbird (see also taxonomy).

Alternative name: Timor Figbird.

Sphecotheres viridis

Identification

28cm.

  • Black head
  • Red around the eyes
  • Green on wings
  • Back and yellow throat and belly

Similar Species

Essentially unmistakable, but the streaked females and juveniles can be confused with the Olive-backed Oriole, Timor Oriole, and juvenile Short-tailed Starling.

Distribution

Eastern Lesser Sundas on Timor and the nearby islands of Rote and Semau. See also taxonomy.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1].

In the distant past, all Figbirds were considered one species. After the split of Wetar Figbird, there was a lot of confusion over which subspecies belonged with Green Figbird and Australasian Figbird, but the main authorities seems to agree now. Therefore, currently there are no birds in Australia that should be named Green Figbird.

Habitat

Forest, woodland and mangrove.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes figs, other soft fruits and berries, insects.

Breeding

It builds a cup-shaped nest from vine tendrils and twigs, attached by rim to a horizontal fork of an outer branch of tall tree. 2-3 eggs are laid.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Andrew (1992). The Birds of Indonesia A Check-list. Kukila Check-list No. 1. Indonesian Orn. Soc. Jakarta.
  3. Dickinson, EC, ed. 2003. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 3rd ed., with updates to December 2007 (Corrigenda 7). Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691117010
  4. Schodde & Mason (1999). Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 0643064567
  5. White & Bruce (1986). The Birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas & Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia). BOU Check-list Ser. 7: 1-524. London.

Recommended Citation

External Links

Retrieved from ‘https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Green_Figbird&oldid=275274’
Back
Top