aka Green Figbird. Not to be confused with the Australasian Figbird, where some subspecies often are referred to as the Green Figbird (see also taxonomy).
- Sphecotheres viridis
Identification
Essentially unmistakable, but the streaky females and juveniles can be confused with the Olive-backed Oriole, Olive-brown Oriole and juv. Short-tailed Starling.
Distribution
Eastern Lesser Sundas on Timor and the nearby islands of Roti and Semau. See also taxomomy.
Taxonomy
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 (1993), 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. The first possibility, as recommended by most authorities, incl. the earlier mentioned sources and Howard & Moore, mainly rely on size, zoo-geography 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, suggesting that flaviventris is best considered a subspecies of S. vieilloti.
Habitat
Forest, woodland and mangrove.
Behaviour
References
- Andrew (1992). The Birds of Indonesia: A Check-list No. 1. Indonesian Orn. Soc. Jakarta.
- Schodde & Mason (1999). Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 0643064567
