Bristlebird
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The bristlebirds are a family, Dasyornithidae, of passerine bird. There are three species in one genus, Dasyornis. The family is endemic to Australia.[1].
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[edit] Taxonomy
The genus Dasyornis was sometimes placed in the Acanthizidae or, as a subfamily, Dasyornithinae, along with the Acanthizinae and Pardalotinae, within an expanded Pardalotidae, before being elevated to full family level by Christidis & Boles (2008).[2][3]
[edit] Description
Bristlebirds are long-tailed, sedentary, ground-frequenting birds. They vary in length from about 17 cm to 27 cm, with the Eastern Bristlebird the smallest, and the Rufous Bristlebird the largest, species. Their colouring is mainly grey with various shades of brown, ranging from olive-brown through chestnut and rufous, on the plumage of the upperparts. The grey plumage of the underparts or the mantle is marked by pale dappling or scalloping.[4] The common name of the family is derived from the presence of prominent rictal bristles.[2]
[edit] Distribution and habitat
Bristlebirds have restricted, and often reduced and disjunct, ranges along the coasts of south-western and south-eastern Australia where there is a Mediterranean climate and suitable habitat of coastal scrubs, heathlands and dense understorey vegetation in woodlands and forests.[2] The Eastern Bristlebird occurs in threatened, localised and disjunct populations down the eastern Australian coast from south-east Queensland through New South Wales to eastern Victoria; the Rufous Bristlebird in western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia, and formerly in south-western Western Australia; with the Western Bristlebird occurring in a small area of south-west Western Australia.[5]
[edit] Conservation
Bristlebirds are vulnerable to habitat loss from coastal development and inappropriate fire regimes. Apart from the eastern subspecies of the Rufous Bristlebird, which are still moderately common within their restricted ranges, populations have declined and become fragmented and the birds have become rare. The western subspecies of the Rufous Bristlebird is probably extinct.[6][4][2]
[edit] List of taxa
Taxa accepted or described by Schodde & Mason (1999)[5] include, with their estimated conservation status:
- Eastern Bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus)
- D. brachypterus brachypterus - Endangered
- D. brachypterus monoides - Critically Endangered
- Rufous Bristlebird (Dasyornis broadbenti)
- D. broadbenti broadbenti - Lower Risk (least concern)
- D. broadbenti caryochrous - Lower Risk (near threatened)
- D. broadbenti litoralis - Critcally Endangered / Extinct
- Western Bristlebird (Dasyornis longirostris) - Vulnerable
[edit] References
- ^ Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2006). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 9788496553422
- ^ a b c d Higgins, P.J.; & Peter, J.M. (eds). (2003). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 6: Pardalotes to Shrike-thrushes. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553762-9
- ^ Christidis, Les; & Boles, Walter E. (2008). Systematics and taxonomy of Australian birds. CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne. ISBN 9780643065116
- ^ a b Pizzey, Graham; & Knight, Frank. (2003). The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. HarperCollins. 7th edn. ISBN 0-207-19821-7
- ^ a b Schodde, R.; & Mason, I.J. (1999). The Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines. CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne. ISBN 0-643-06456-7
- ^ Morcombe, Michael. (2000). Field Guide to Australian Birds. Steve Parish: Queensland. ISBN 1-876282-10-X
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