Pilotbird | |
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Pilotbird, Blue Mountains | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Acanthizidae |
Genus: |
Pycnoptilus Gould, 1851 |
Species: | P. floccosus
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Binomial name | |
Pycnoptilus floccosus
Gould, 1851
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Subspecies [2] | |
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The pilotbird (Pycnoptilus floccosus) is a species of passerine bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is monotypic within the genus Pycnoptilus. The species is endemic to south-eastern Australia.
The species was first described by English ornithologist John Gould in 1851. The generic name Pycnoptilus derives from the Ancient Greek pyknos 'thick' and ptilon 'feather'. [3] Its specific epithet floccosus is Late Latin for 'flocked with wool'. [3] There are two subspecies: the nominate subspecies Pycnoptilus floccosus floccosus lives in alpine areas; and P. f. sandfordi lives in lowland forest. [4] [5]
The pilotbird is a large, plump species of acanthizid, measuring around 18 centimetres (7.1 in) in length and weighing 27 grams (0.95 oz). [4] The plumage of the underparts is reddish-brown with scalloping on the chest and the centre of the belly speckled dull white. The upperparts are chocolate-brown. [5] [6] The bill is short and finely pointed. [7] Its tail is broad and semi-erect, and flicked up and down when feeding. [5] [8]
The pilotbird is found from the Wollemi National Park and Blue Mountains National Park in New South Wales through to the Dandenong Ranges, near Melbourne in Victoria. [9] Its natural habitat is temperate wet sclerophyll forests and occasionally temperate rainforest, where there is dense undergrowth with abundant debris. [10] [7] It is sedentary and common. [7]
Its name comes from its supposed habit of following lyrebirds, taking prey that they flush, and also from its call guiding bushmen seeking for lyrebirds. [7] This habit is well known but seldom observed. The pilotbird is highly terrestrial, feeding on or near the ground and when disturbed it runs swiftly on strong legs. [7] Its call has been described as "piercing and sweet". [8] The male makes a far-carrying call of wit-wit-weet-WHEER to which the female may respond with a softer wit-a-wit-ee. [7] [8] [4]
The breeding season for the pilotbird is from August to December. [7] The globular nest is built with a side-entrance and hidden amongst the accumulated debris on the forest floor. [7] It is an untidy construction of bark, ferns, dead leaves and rootlets. [8] A clutch of usually two eggs, each measuring 27 by 20 mm (1.06 by 0.79 in) and varying in colour from grey-green to purple-brown, is incubated by the female for 20–22 days. [7] [8] During the nestling period, which lasts 14–17 days, the male will often feed the female or help with the care of the nestlings, if the female has a subsequent brood. [4] The nests are sometimes parasitised by the fan-tailed cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis). [4]
The pilotbird is fairly common within its small range, which has reduced as a result of forest clearance and urban development, but much of its habitat is within national parks or reserves. [4] Its habitat is also threatened by climate change, severe weather and bushfires; [10] nevertheless, the most recent assessment in October 2016 classified the pilotbird as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. [10] The pilotbird was listed as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act in 2022, [11] in response to the 2019/2020 Australian Bushfires, which burnt 47% of its distribution, and contributed to an estimated 30-50% decline in the population. [12]
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