hi Dave,
Just came in the tail end of this- essentially Clements new edition
is in error (again!), he has a peninsulae taxon listed under both
this and Grey-headed Whistler, in the 5th edition simplex was
monotypic and called Gray Whistler ( 'cos it's brown with no grey in
the plumage of course!). Howard and Moore combine them all.
The birds in PNG and New Guinea are often called Grey-headed
Whistler if split, and the Directory of Australian Birds has a good
discussion on the merits of splitting the group- unfortunately they
put them all in simplex, which is where the 6th Clements P. simplex
peninsulae derives from.
Only two forms are non-flavenoid, simplex in the NT and dubia in East
New Guinea, separated by flavenoid forms (put in Grey-headed Whistler
if split). Birds on the Kai Is (rufipennis) seem somewhat
intermediate and Schodde and Mason lump them all.
This may be premature and the vocal data ought to be investigated, it
seems to me that the NT birds sound quite different, and DNA stuff
would also help I'm sure.
Regards
Phil Gregory
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